Laser plasma formation assisted by ultraviolet pre-ionization

Azer P. Yalin; Nick Wilvert; Ciprian Dumitrache; Sachin Joshi; Mikhail N. Shneider

doi:10.1063/1.4898059

Laser plasma formation assisted by ultraviolet pre-ionization

Azer P. Yalin, Nick Wilvert, Ciprian Dumitrache, Sachin Joshi, Mikhail N. Shneider

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering

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39 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present experimental and modeling studies of air pre-ionization using ultraviolet (UV) laser pulses and its effect on laser breakdown of an overlapped near-infrared (NIR) pulse. Experimental studies are conducted with a 266 nm beam (fourth harmonic of Nd:YAG) for UV pre-ionization and an overlapped 1064 nm NIR beam (fundamental of Nd:YAG), both having pulse duration of ∼10 ns. Results show that the UV beam produces a pre-ionized volume which assists in breakdown of the NIR beam, leading to reduction in NIR breakdown threshold by factor of >2. Numerical modeling is performed to examine the ionization and breakdown of both beams. The modeled breakdown threshold of the NIR, including assist by pre-ionization, is in reasonable agreement with the experimental results.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	103511
Journal	Physics of Plasmas
Volume	21
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4898059
State	Published - Oct 1 2014

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Condensed Matter Physics

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10.1063/1.4898059

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title = "Laser plasma formation assisted by ultraviolet pre-ionization",

abstract = "We present experimental and modeling studies of air pre-ionization using ultraviolet (UV) laser pulses and its effect on laser breakdown of an overlapped near-infrared (NIR) pulse. Experimental studies are conducted with a 266 nm beam (fourth harmonic of Nd:YAG) for UV pre-ionization and an overlapped 1064 nm NIR beam (fundamental of Nd:YAG), both having pulse duration of ∼10 ns. Results show that the UV beam produces a pre-ionized volume which assists in breakdown of the NIR beam, leading to reduction in NIR breakdown threshold by factor of >2. Numerical modeling is performed to examine the ionization and breakdown of both beams. The modeled breakdown threshold of the NIR, including assist by pre-ionization, is in reasonable agreement with the experimental results.",

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T1 - Laser plasma formation assisted by ultraviolet pre-ionization

AU - Yalin, Azer P.

AU - Wilvert, Nick

AU - Dumitrache, Ciprian

AU - Joshi, Sachin

AU - Shneider, Mikhail N.

PY - 2014/10/1

Y1 - 2014/10/1

N2 - We present experimental and modeling studies of air pre-ionization using ultraviolet (UV) laser pulses and its effect on laser breakdown of an overlapped near-infrared (NIR) pulse. Experimental studies are conducted with a 266 nm beam (fourth harmonic of Nd:YAG) for UV pre-ionization and an overlapped 1064 nm NIR beam (fundamental of Nd:YAG), both having pulse duration of ∼10 ns. Results show that the UV beam produces a pre-ionized volume which assists in breakdown of the NIR beam, leading to reduction in NIR breakdown threshold by factor of >2. Numerical modeling is performed to examine the ionization and breakdown of both beams. The modeled breakdown threshold of the NIR, including assist by pre-ionization, is in reasonable agreement with the experimental results.

AB - We present experimental and modeling studies of air pre-ionization using ultraviolet (UV) laser pulses and its effect on laser breakdown of an overlapped near-infrared (NIR) pulse. Experimental studies are conducted with a 266 nm beam (fourth harmonic of Nd:YAG) for UV pre-ionization and an overlapped 1064 nm NIR beam (fundamental of Nd:YAG), both having pulse duration of ∼10 ns. Results show that the UV beam produces a pre-ionized volume which assists in breakdown of the NIR beam, leading to reduction in NIR breakdown threshold by factor of >2. Numerical modeling is performed to examine the ionization and breakdown of both beams. The modeled breakdown threshold of the NIR, including assist by pre-ionization, is in reasonable agreement with the experimental results.

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Laser plasma formation assisted by ultraviolet pre-ionization

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