Self-confinement of light whispering gallery waves

Abstract

Summary form only given. Among the numerous specific properties of whispering gallery (WG) waves the most important one for the problem considered is that the WG group velocity can be much less than the velocity of light. As a result, the energy density in the WG wave and, consequently, the electric field strength which determines the increase in the refraction index in the wave appears to be much greater than in an ordinary wave of the same power. This property allows one to observe the self-action of WG waves under much less power. In this work, an ability of the WG waves to form closed waveguides of various type in the air is considered. These waveguides confine propagation of WG waves in a certain closed region. In this case, nonlinear effects with great time constant can manifest themselves too.