Propagation of High Power UV Laser Pulses through the Atmosphere

Jens Schwarz
Optical Sciences and Engineering
University of New Mexico

When high power laser pulses propagate through the atmosphere they can self-focus due to the nonlinear index of refraction of air. At some critical power self-focusing overcomes diffraction and the beam starts to collapse. As the laser intensity increases, an electron plasma forms which defocuses the beam and leads to a stable filament. Experimental results as well as a simple analytical solution will be presented.

12:00 p.m., Friday, January 25, 2002

A light lunch will immediately follow the talk.

Room 103, Center for High Technology Materials
1313 Goddard SE, Albuquerque NM 87106