Premium
Formation of a negative impulse discharge induced by an XeCl excimer laser in a long rod‐to‐rod electrode gap in air
Author(s) -
Uchiumi Michihiro,
Hayashi Hiromitsu,
Ueda Kiyotaka,
Muraoka Katsunori,
Kinoshita Fumihiro,
Akazaki Masanori,
Tanaka Toshikatsu,
Honda Chikahisa
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
electrical engineering in japan
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.136
H-Index - 28
eISSN - 1520-6416
pISSN - 0424-7760
DOI - 10.1002/1520-6416(20010130)134:2<11::aid-eej2>3.0.co;2-8
Subject(s) - impulse (physics) , excimer laser , electrode , materials science , plasma , laser , ionization , voltage , excimer , marx generator , optics , plasma channel , atomic physics , pulse generator , electrical engineering , chemistry , physics , ion , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , engineering
Negative discharge induction experiments were performed with a rod‐to‐rod electrode configuration having a gap length of 0.8 m using a high‐power XeCl excimer laser of maximum output energy of 2 J/pulse and an impulse generator of maximum voltage of 1.2 MV. Development of a leader in the laser‐ionized plasma channel was observed by using an image converter camera. When an XeCl excimer laser is applied at a carefully controlled instant, the guiding effect for an impulse discharge is optimized. Three main results were obtained. First, the discharge started near the focal point and then developed bidirectionally toward the high‐voltage electrode and the grounded electrode. Midgap leaders were frequently observed. Second, it was observed that the lifetime of the laser‐ionized plasma channel was about 1 μs. Third, the discharge processes were classified into six stages. The mechanism of the streamer and leader propagation is discussed. © 2000 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 134(2): 11–18, 2001