Terawatt femtosecond pulse propagation in dielectric solids

This study examines propagation of 70-fs pulse of 800 nm wavelength in fused silica and sapphire samples in the normal dispersion regime over longitudinal distances up to 500 /spl mu/. The input intensity was varied from 2 up to 30 TW/cm/sup 2/. The beam width was 50-/spl mu/ FWHM and the envelope was assumed to be of Gaussian shape. The numerical results were compared with experimental data obtained with pump-probe technique.