Observation of Bessel-beam self-trapping

We predict and observe Bessel-beam optical self-trapping in a strongly self-focusing medium. Nonlinearity leads to solutions with a signature pulsing along the propagation direction, a breather that we observe in a photorefractive potassium-lithium-tantalate-niobate crystal. The nonlinear construct is formed as an interference pattern locks together with a diffracting wave.