Triggering and guiding high-voltage large-scale leader discharges with sub-joule ultrashort laser pulses
Creators
- Pepin, H.1, 2, 3, 4
- Comtois, D.1, 2, 3, 4
- Vidal, F.1, 2, 3, 4
- Chien, C.Y.1, 2, 3, 4
- Desparois, A.1, 2, 3, 4
- Johnston, T.W.1, 2, 3, 4
- Kieffer, J.C.1, 2, 3, 4
- La Fontaine, B.1, 2, 3, 4
- Martin, F.1, 2, 3, 4
- Rizk, F.A.M.1, 2, 3, 4
- Potvin, C.1, 2, 3, 4
- Couture, P.1, 2, 3, 4
- Mercure, H.P.1, 2, 3, 4
- Bondiou-Clergerie, A.1, 2, 3, 4
- Lalande, P.1, 2, 3, 4
- Gallimberti, I.1, 2, 3, 4
- 1. Departement of Electrical Engineering, University of Padova, 35100 Padova (Italy)
- 2. ONERA Chatillon, BP 72, 29 av de la Division Leclerc, F-92322 Chatillon Cedex (France)
- 3. IREQ, Hydro-Quebec, 1800 bv Lionel Boulet, Varennes, Quebec J3X 1S1 (Canada)
- 4. INRS-Energie et Materiaux, 1650 bv Lionel Boulet, Varennes, Quebec J3X 1S2 (Canada)
Description
The triggering and guiding of leader discharges using a plasma channel created by a sub-joule ultrashort laser pulse have been studied in a megavolt large-scale electrode configuration (3-7 m rod-plane air gap). By focusing the laser close to the positive rod electrode it has been possible, with a 400 mJ pulse, to trigger and guide leaders over distances of 3 m, to lower the leader inception voltage by 50%, and to increase the leader velocity by a factor of 10. The dynamics of the breakdown discharges with and without the laser pulse have been analyzed by means of a streak camera and of electric field and current probes. Numerical simulations have successfully reproduced many of the experimental results obtained with and without the presence of the laser plasma channel
Additional details
Identifiers
- DOI
- 10.1063/1.1342230;
Publishing Information
- Journal Title
- Physics of Plasmas
- Journal Volume
- 8
- Journal Issue
- 5
- Journal Page Range
- p. 2532-2539
- ISSN
- 1070-664X
- CODEN
- PHPAEN
Conference
- Title
- 42. annual meeting of the Division of Plasma Physics of the American Physical Society; 10. international congress on plasma physics
- Dates
- 23-27 Oct 2000
- Place
- Quebec City, PQ (Canada)
INIS
- Country of Publication
- United States
- Country of Input or Organization
- International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
- INIS RN
- 34072093
- Subject category
- S70: PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY;
- Resource subtype / Literary indicator
- Conference
- Descriptors DEI
- ELECTRIC DISCHARGES; ELECTRIC PROBES; LASER-PRODUCED PLASMA; PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS; PLASMA SIMULATION
- Descriptors DEC
- PLASMA; PROBES; SIMULATION
Optional Information
- Notes
- (c) 2001 American Institute of Physics.