Self-compression of femtosecond laser pulses and full-dimensional spatiotemporal optical soliton formation

We have shown, for the first time to our knowledge, that the self-compression of high intensity femtosecond optical pulses, preceding by self-focussing, is a general phenomenon that can be observed in different optical media, providing proper control of the experimental conditions. This has been experimentally confirmed in a number of atomic (Ar, Kr) and molecular (CH/sub 4/) gaseous media and in bulk solid material (fused silica). The full space-time trapping of the femtosecond pulses results in the generation (for the first time to our knowledge) of a full-dimensional spatiotemporal soliton (light bullet.