On Laser Air Breakdown, Threshold Power and Laser Generated Channel Length

Abstract

A review is made of the experimental data for the air breakdown threshold power for lasers with wavelength of 0.6954mu to 389mu. A classical theory for the pulsed air breakdown is presented and is utilized to predict threshold power in clean air which is in reasonable agreement with the experimental results. The laser absorption coefficient by the air plasma is discussed in the context of the laser generated channel. It is concluded that one may generate longer channels by controlling the electron density which can be accomplished by controlling the duration of the laser pulse.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 13, 1983
Accession Number
ADA133211

Entities

People

  • A. W. Ali

Organizations

  • United States Naval Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Absorption Coefficients
  • Boltzmann Equation
  • Carbon Dioxide Lasers
  • Coefficients
  • Deuterium Fluoride Lasers
  • Electric Discharges
  • Electric Fields
  • Electron Density
  • Electron Energy
  • Electrons
  • Experimental Data
  • Free Electrons
  • Frequency
  • Ionization
  • Laser Pulses
  • Lasers
  • Radiation

Fields of Study

  • Engineering
  • Physics

Readers

  • Optical Physics and Photonics.
  • Plasma Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Microelectronics