High-power laser propagation - Thermal blooming
Abstract
Thermal blooming of laser beams is the result of the nonlinear interaction of laser radiation with the propagation path which is heated by absorption of a fraction of the radiation itself. The term 'thermal blooming' is currently used to describe all self-induced thermal distortion of laser radiation. One approach for overcoming thermal distortion makes use of a short-duration laser pulse. Multiple-pulse lasers are employed with pulses which are sufficiently long to avoid gas breakdown and sufficiently short to minimize the individual pulse blooming. Steady-state perturbation solutions are discussed, taking into account governing equations, thermal conduction, natural convection, forced convection, and the distortion parameter for focused and slewed laser beams. Attention is given to a wave optics treatment of thermal blooming, laboratory simulation experiments of CW thermal blooming, and transient thermal blooming.
- Publication:
-
IEEE Proceedings
- Pub Date:
- December 1977
- Bibcode:
- 1977IEEEP..65.1679S
- Keywords:
-
- Continuous Wave Lasers;
- Laser Outputs;
- Light Transmission;
- Nonlinear Optics;
- Pulsed Lasers;
- Thermal Blooming;
- Analog Simulation;
- Atmospheric Optics;
- Heat Transfer;
- Optical Paths;
- Perturbation Theory;
- Radiant Heating;
- Radiation Absorption;
- Signal Distortion;
- Steady State;
- Lasers and Masers