Cascade breakdown of air by a focused laser beam

Abstract

A theoretical and a numerical treatment of cascade ionization of air for the breakdown wave velocity have been studied in both classical and quantum form by the use of the experimental rate constants for electron loss, ionization, and attachment. And the electron ionization rate as a function of electron temperature have been investigated. In the initial stage of breakdown by a focused laser beam the electron temperature of the luminous front is given about 0.8 eV in the classical case and about 0.6 eV in the quantum case. Compared with the results by Raizer, calculated results from the cascade ionization theory for the breakdown wave velocity reduce to those obtained by Raizer when electron losses are neglected.