Extreme Nonlinear Optics & Ultrafast Laser Dynamics

Sergey A. Skobelev

Doctor of Sciences (Physics & Mathematics)
Leading Research Scientist, Laboratory of Extreme Nonlinear Optics (332), Department of Ultrafast Processes (330)

My research is focused on the self-action of high-power ultrashort laser pulses in advanced waveguides: weakly coupled multicore fibers (MCF) and hollow gas-filled dielectric waveguides with daisy-shaped geometry.

The models combine chromatic dispersion, Kerr nonlinearity, Raman response, thermo-optical effects and inter-core coupling, enabling quantitative predictions of soliton dynamics, pulse reshaping and coherent beam combining in strongly nonlinear regimes.

Research fields
Nonlinear optics, plasma physics
Methods
Numerical simulation, high-intensity laser theory
Tools
C++ (multithreaded), MathGL, custom solvers

Research Interests

Core areas:

Nonlinear pulse dynamics High-power laser propagation Multicore fiber optics Gas-filled waveguides Solitons & self-action Raman & thermal effects Plasma-related nonlinearities Numerical modeling

I work at the interface of nonlinear optics and plasma physics, developing theoretical models and numerical approaches for broadband, few-cycle and high-intensity laser pulses in complex guiding structures.

Project Overview

The current project is devoted to the theoretical and numerical study of self-action effects of high-power laser pulses in:

  • weakly coupled multicore fibers (MCF);
  • hollow gas-filled dielectric waveguides with daisy-shaped geometry.

The governing equations include chromatic dispersion, Kerr nonlinearity, Raman response, thermo-optical effects and controlled inter-core coupling, allowing us to explore coherent beam combining, soliton formation and stability, ultra-broadband frequency shifting and suppression of small-scale self-focusing.

Numerical simulations are implemented in multithreaded C++ and visualized using
the MathGL library: https://mathgl.sourceforge.net/

Education

2004 — Graduated with distinction from Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod, major in Physics.

2007 — PhD (Candidate of Sciences) in Laser Physics. Dissertation: “Nonlinear dynamics of few-cycle optical pulses”, supervisor: Prof. A. V. Kim.

2016 — Doctor of Sciences (Dr. Sci.) in Laser Physics. Dissertation: “Self-action of broadband radiation and formation of ultrashort laser pulses.”

Selected Publications

  1. A. A. Balakin, S. A. Skobelev, A. G. Litvak
    Coherent propagation of high-power wave beams in hollow gas-filled daisy-shaped waveguides
    Phys. Rev. A 110, 053511 (2024)
    Impact Factor: 2.9
    DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.110.053511
  2. A. A. Balakin, S. A. Skobelev, A. Andrianov, E. A. Anashkina, A. G. Litvak
    Ultra-broadband frequency shifting of laser pulses in a square multicore chalcogenide fiber
    Opt. Lett. 49, 1500–1503 (2024)
    Impact Factor: 3.3
    DOI: 10.1364/OL.514070
  3. A. A. Balakin, S. A. Skobelev, A. G. Litvak
    Stable few-cycle out-of-phase solitons in a rectangular multi-core fiber
    Opt. Lett. 48, 6208–6211 (2023)
    Impact Factor: 3.3
    DOI: 10.1364/OL.503453
  4. M. Martyanov, V. Ginzburg, A. Balakin, S. Skobelev et al.
    Suppressing small-scale self-focusing of high-power femtosecond pulses
    High Power Laser Science and Engineering 11, e28 (2023)
    Impact Factor: 5.7
    DOI: 10.1017/hpl.2023.20
  5. A. A. Balakin, S. A. Skobelev, A. G. Litvak
    Laser pulse cutoff at nonlinear reflection due to Raman backscattering in plasma
    Opt. Lett. 47, 6261–6264 (2022)
    Impact Factor: 3.3
    DOI: 10.1364/OL.477494
  6. A. V. Andrianov, S. A. Skobelev, A. A. Balakin, E. A. Anashkina, A. G. Litvak
    Tapered Multicore Fiber for High-Power Laser Amplifiers
    IEEE Photonics Journal 14, 1505606 (2022)
    Impact Factor: 2.25
    DOI: 10.1109/JPHOT.2021.3135349
  7. S. A. Skobelev, A. A. Balakin, E. A. Anashkina, A. V. Andrianov, A. G. Litvak
    Ultrawide shifting of the laser pulse wavelength in a multicore tellurite fiber with two zero-dispersion wavelengths
    Phys. Rev. A 104, 033518 (2021)
    Impact Factor: 2.97
    DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.104.033518
  8. S. A. Skobelev, A. A. Balakin, E. A. Anashkina, A. V. Andrianov, A. G. Litvak
    Out-of-phase few-cycle solitons in multicore fibers
    Phys. Rev. A 104, 023522 (2021)
    Impact Factor: 2.97
    DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.104.023522
  9. A. A. Balakin, S. A. Skobelev, A. G. Litvak
    Coherent propagation of powerful out-of-phase wave beams in linear arrays of weakly coupled cores
    EPL 132, 54001 (2020)
    Impact Factor: 1.958
    DOI: 10.1209/0295-5075/132/54001
  10. A. A. Balakin, S. A. Skobelev, A. V. Andrianov, E. A. Anashkina, A. G. Litvak
    Coherent amplification of high-power laser radiation in multicore fibers from a rectangular array of cores
    Opt. Lett. 46, 246 (2021)
    Impact Factor: 3.56
    DOI: 10.1364/OL.401914
  11. A. A. Balakin, A. G. Litvak, S. A. Skobelev
    Coherent propagation and amplification of intense wave beams in a deformed multicore fiber
    Phys. Rev. A 102, 023527 (2020)
    Impact Factor: 2.97
    DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.102.023527