The Guidance of High-Voltage Electrical Breakdown Streamers by Laser Induced Ionization in Air.
Abstract
Experimental studies and theoretical analysis have shown that the breakdown pathe and propagation velocity of high voltage electrical streamers can be modified and controlled by laser radiation 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 propagation velocities of the streamers have been increased from 2 x 10 to the power of 7 cm/sec to 3 x 10 to the power of 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 to the power of 10 - 10 to the power of 11 ion pairs/cc are produced at the beam intensities used in the studies. (Modified author abstract)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 30, 1973
- Accession Number
- AD0763827
Entities
People
- Markels