Laser sustained plasma ball lensing effect controlled by means of coaxial gas flow

V. P. Zimakov; A. Yu. Kedrov; V. A. Kuznetsov; A. N. Shemyakin; N. G. Solovyov; M. Yu. Yakimov

doi:10.1117/12.880761

18 February 2011 Laser sustained plasma ball lensing effect controlled by means of coaxial gas flow

V. P. Zimakov, A. Yu. Kedrov, V. A. Kuznetsov, A. N. Shemyakin, N. G. Solovyov, M. Yu. Yakimov

Proceedings Volume 7913, Laser Resonators and Beam Control XIII; 791305 (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.880761
Event: SPIE LASE, 2011, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

The results of laser beam refraction studies in a continuous optical discharge (COD) stabilized in a focused (f4.4) laser beam and coaxial gas flow are reported. A plasma ball formed in COD acts as a defocusing plasma lens where lensing effect occurs mainly due to distributed free electrons. The properties of the plasma lens depending on the electron density distribution and controlled through a gas flow velocity have being studied. Intensity profiles of sustaining laser beam (M2 = 6.6) transmitted through the plasma together with intensity patterns of visible plasma images were simultaneously detected and analyzed. It was found that the dependency of average refraction angle of the sustaining beam in COD plasma on a gas flow velocity drops sharply as the velocity increased 1.5 m/s from initial value of 0.06 radians to milliradians, so that at higher gas flow velocities the beam refraction does not affect plasma properties. A shape of the curve of the refraction on gas flow velocity reveals the peculiarities of lensing properties of the plasma ball. The possibility of controlling the lensing effect in plasma by means of the gas flow was also demonstrated.

Citation Download Citation

V. P. Zimakov, A. Yu. Kedrov, V. A. Kuznetsov, A. N. Shemyakin, N. G. Solovyov, and M. Yu. Yakimov "Laser sustained plasma ball lensing effect controlled by means of coaxial gas flow", Proc. SPIE 7913, Laser Resonators and Beam Control XIII, 791305 (18 February 2011); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.880761

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available