  Femtosecond laser filament generates strong terahertz (THz) pulse in air. In
this paper, THz pulse waveform generated by femtosecond laser filament has been
experimentally investigated as a function of the length of the filament.
Superluminal propagation of THz pulse has been uncovered, indicating that the
filament creates a THz waveguide in air. Numerical simulation has confirmed
that the waveguide is formed because of the radially non-uniform refractive
index distribution inside the filament. The underlying physical mechanisms and
the control techniques of this type THz pulse generation method might be
revisited based on our findings. It might also potentially open a new approach
for long-distance propagation of THz wave in air.
