The influence of electron density on the formation of streamers in electrical discharges triggered with ultrashort laser pulses

In an ongoing program using ultrashort laser pulses to provoke discharges in air over considerable distances at electric fields below breakdown threshold, we have studied the conditions for the onset of streamers in such laser-produced plasmas, both experimentally and through numerical simulations....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:IEEE transactions on plasma science 1999-06, Vol.27 (3), p.688-700
Main Authors: La Fontaine, B., Vidal, F., Comtois, D., Ching-Yuan Chien, Desparois, A., Johnston, T.W., Kieffer, J.-C., Mercure, H.P., Pepin, H., Rizk, F.A.M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Arcs, sparks, lightning
Breakdown
Computer simulation
Density
Electric breakdown
Electric discharges
Electric potential
Electricity
Electron density
Electrons
Exact sciences and technology
Fault location
Laser theory
Laser-plasma interactions
Lasers
Lightning
Mathematical models
Nitrogen
Numerical simulation
Optical pulses
Physics
Physics of gases, plasmas and electric discharges
Physics of plasmas and electric discharges
Plasma density
Plasma simulation
Voltage
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Summary:In an ongoing program using ultrashort laser pulses to provoke discharges in air over considerable distances at electric fields below breakdown threshold, we have studied the conditions for the onset of streamers in such laser-produced plasmas, both experimentally and through numerical simulations. The results demonstrate the importance of the electron density and of its gradient on the generation of streamers. Also, a significant reduction of the breakdown voltage for a 30 cm plane-plane gap in air was observed with a laser pulse energy of 15 mJ. Finally, a direct comparison of laser-induced breakdown in air and in nitrogen shows the influence of electron attachment to oxygen on the discharge process.
ISSN:0093-3813
1939-9375
DOI:10.1109/27.774673