Laser breakdown in air at ultrahigh laser pulse repetition rates

Journal Article · Tue Apr 30 04:00:00 EDT 2013 · Quantum Electronics (Woodbury, N.Y.)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1070/QE2013V043N04ABEH015113· OSTI ID:22113692

Pashinin, V P; Gololobov, V M; Konov, Vitalii I ^[1]

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1. A M Prokhorov General Physics Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation)

Some specific features of interaction of intense femtosecond laser pulses with air at ultrahigh pulse repetition rates have been experimentally studied. Data on the dynamics of plasma cloud expansion and the plasma electron density on time intervals no longer than 10 ns are obtained by femtosecond interferometry. These data are interpreted in terms of the most likely mechanisms of ionised gas recombination. The effect of ultrahigh-frequency laser radiation on a medium was modelled by double-pulse irradiation with a short delay {Delta}t between the pulses: from 1 ps to 11 ns. A nonmonotonic dependence of the degree of air ionisation by the second pulse on the delay time {Delta}t is found; possible mechanisms of these dependences are discussed in terms of the processes of femtosecond radiation absorption in the residual plasma. (extreme light fields and their applications)

• OSTI ID: 22113692
• Journal Information: Quantum Electronics (Woodbury, N.Y.), Journal Name: Quantum Electronics (Woodbury, N.Y.) Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 43; ISSN 1063-7818
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ABSORPTION
BREAKDOWN
ELECTRON DENSITY
INTERFEROMETRY
IONIZATION
LASER RADIATION
PLASMA
PULSED IRRADIATION
RECOMBINATION
TIME DELAY