Open AccessLaboratory simulation of femtosecond laser guided lightning discharge
Author(s) -
Zhe Zhang,
Xingqiang Lü,
Zuoqiang Hao,
Shichang Zhang,
Dongdong Zhang,
Zhaohua Wang,
Yuanyuan Ma,
Ping Yan,
Jie Zhang
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
wuli xuebao
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.199
H-Index - 47
ISSN - 1000-3290
DOI - 10.7498/aps.56.5293
Subject(s) - laser , plasma channel , femtosecond , plasma , materials science , lightning (connector) , electric field , voltage , electric discharge , streamer discharge , optics , pulse (music) , atomic physics , physics , electrode , power (physics) , quantum mechanics
We triggered and guided the stationary electric field discharges in 3—23 cm long air gaps by using plasma channels produced by 40mJ ultrashort laser pulses. We have observed that the plasma channel reduced the discharge breakdown voltage to 40% of its natural value. By analyzing the delay between the laser pulse and the white light emission of discharge, we evaluated the speed of the stepped leader with laser guiding to be about 107 cm/s.