Abstract

Laser-induced breakdown of a transparent micrometer-sized H₂O droplet can be initiated only in the Ar gas in a strip outside the droplet shadow face. At a higher-input 0.532-μm Q-switched laser intensity, breakdown can also occur within the droplet. The resultant internal plasma blocks the laser from reaching the region outside the shadow face and absorbs more of the laser pulse to produce a shock wave and/or a laser-supported detonation wave. Various combinations of liquid and surrounding gas were investigated at different input intensities in order to provide information on the breakdown processes in a transparent droplet.

© 1987 Optical Society of America

Laser-induced breakdown in large transparent water droplets

Richard K. Chang, Johannes H. Eickmans, Wen-Feng Hsieh, Carol F. Wood, Jian-Zhi Zhang, and Jia-biao Zheng
Appl. Opt. 27(12) 2377-2385 (1988)

Plasma spectroscopy of H, Li, and Na in plumes resulting from laser-induced droplet explosion

Johannes H. Eickmans, Wen-Feng Hsieh, and Richard K. Chang
Appl. Opt. 26(17) 3721-3725 (1987)

Laser-induced breakout and detonation waves in droplets. I. Experiments

Jia-biao Zheng, Wen-Feng Hsieh, Shu-chi Chen, and Richard K. Chang
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 8(2) 319-328 (1991)

Explosive vaporization of a large transparent droplet irradiated by a high intensity laser

Jian-Zhi Zhang, Joseph K. Lam, Carol F. Wood, Boa-Teh Chu, and Richard K. Chang
Appl. Opt. 26(22) 4731-4737 (1987)

Propagation velocity of laser-induced plasma inside and outside a transparent droplet

W.-F. Hsieh, J.-B. Zheng, C. F. Wood, B. T. Chu, and R. K. Chang
Opt. Lett. 12(8) 576-578 (1987)