SYMPOSIA PAPER Published: 01 October 1981
STP37030S

On Self-Focusing and Spot-Size Dependence of Laser-Induced Breakdown

Source

The laser-induced breakdown power (PB) was measured for various neat liquids and various combinations of miscible liquids. PB for the neat liquids and the mixtures was found to be proportional to 1/n2 (n2 is the nonlinear index of refraction). From this result, we conclude that self-focusing dominates the breakdown process for these liquids (CS2, benzene, nitrobenzene, chlorobenzene, bromobenzene, and toulene). The dependence of PB for the neat liquids and mixtures on the f-number of the focusing optics was then measured and found to be in excellent agreement with the predictions of self-focusing theory for liquids with large n2's. The liquids were then used as a “model system” to compare the results of similar measurements in single-crystal NaCl. This comparison indicates that the observed focal spot-size dependence in NaCl is not due to self-focusing.

Author Information

Soileau, MJ
Franck, JB
Veatch, TC
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Developed by Committee: F01
Pages: 385–393
DOI: 10.1520/STP37030S
ISBN-EB: 978-0-8031-4820-8
ISBN-13: 978-0-8031-4500-9