Investigation of the Mechanisms Associated with Gas Breakdown under Intense Optical Illumination

摘要

The work reported is part of a series of experimental and theoretical investigations of the mechanisms responsible for gas breakdown with focused optical frequency laser radiation. The effects of the mode structure of the laser radiation source on the gas breakdown threshold were studied. Experiments were also performed using a Mach-Zehnder interferometer to observe the breakdown plasma density and to determine the persistence and growth rate of the associated blast wave. The development of a high-power CO2 laser with an output at 10.6-micron wavelength was continued.