Excitation of discharge in air by laser radiation
Abstract
Experimental findings on the low-threshold breakdown of air by pulse infrared radiation are analyzed. The dynamics of the formation of the discharge and the properties of the low-temperature plasma that is formed are found to depend strongly upon the parameters of the perturbing radiation. The discharge produced in air by a CO2 laser is highly nonequilibrium, while that produced by a neodymium laser is quasiequilibrium. The findings indicate that discharge development in the radiation field of the neodymium laser is thermal in nature.
- Publication:
-
USSR Rept Phys Math JPRS UPM
- Pub Date:
- August 1985
- Bibcode:
- 1985RpPhM.......27B
- Keywords:
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- Excitation;
- Infrared Radiation;
- Laser Outputs;
- Laser Plasmas;
- Carbon Dioxide Lasers;
- Neodymium Lasers;
- Pulsed Radiation;
- Lasers and Masers