Long-wavelength infrared solitons in air

Dispersion and optical nonlinearity of atmospheric air in the long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) range are shown to enable unique soliton dynamics in freely propagating laser beams. Analysis of spatiotemporal LWIR waveform evolution in air reveals soliton self-compression scenarios whereby ultrashort LWIR subterawatt pulses can be compressed to single-cycle terawatt field waveforms.