Sustained optical discharges in molecular gases
Abstract
Sustained optical discharges are studied in molecular gases (hydrogen, deuterium, nitrogen, and air) at pressures in the range p = 1-10 atm and at laser powers W up to 1 kW. The combinations of p and W at which the sustained optical discharge is stable are determined experimentally. The temperature profiles of the discharge are also determined. The primary loss mechanism in the discharge is found to be thermal conductivity. An approximate thermal-conductivity model is constructed for the discharge and used to calculate the discharge temperature and the extreme values of p and W. The calculated results agree satisfactorily with experiment.
- Publication:
-
Zhurnal Tekhnicheskoi Fiziki
- Pub Date:
- November 1979
- Bibcode:
- 1979ZhTFi..49.2304K
- Keywords:
-
- Laser Plasma Interactions;
- Molecular Gases;
- Photoionization;
- Plasma Heating;
- Plasma Pumping;
- Air;
- Deuterium;
- Gas Pressure;
- Hydrogen;
- Laser Heating;
- Laser Targets;
- Nitrogen;
- Plasma Radiation;
- Plasma Spectra;
- Thermal Conductivity;
- Plasma Physics