Guidance of high-voltage electrical breakdown streamers by laser induced ionization in air. Final scientific report

Technical Report · Sat Jun 30 04:00:00 EDT 1973

OSTI ID:4306680

Markels,

Experimental studies and theoretical analysis have shown that the breakdown path and propagation velocity of high voltage electrical streamers can be modified and controlled by laser radiaion at intensities less than the optical breakdown threshold. In air at atmospheric pressure, 450 KV negative streamers have been guided along straight paths about 70 cm in length, and the propagaion velocities of the streamers have been increased from 2 x 10/sup 7/ cm/sec to 3 x 10/sup 8/ cm/sec, by 1.06 micrometer radiation pulses of 200 Joules energy and 60 nsec half-width. Direct measurements of the degree of ionization along the laser beam path showed about 10/sup 10/ to 10/sup 11/ ion pairs/cc are produced at the beam intensities used in the studies. (auth)

• Research Organization: Versar, Inc., Springfield, Va. (USA)
• NSA Number: NSA-29-030919
• OSTI ID: 4306680
• Report Number(s): AD--763827; AFOSR-TR--73-1209
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

*ELECTRIC DISCHARGES-- CONTROL
*LASER RADIATION-- ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
AIR
BREAKDOWN
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
IONIZATION
N70300* --Physics--Controlled Thermonuclear Research-- Kinetics (General)