Interaction of laser-induced ionization with electric fields

The study of long ionized gas channels is of interest for problems ranging from the understanding of lightning to the transport of charged-particle beams in inertial-confinement fusion reactors. The only practical method of creating controlled long ionization channels is the breakdown of a gas by intense laser beams. Studies to determine the response of such laser spark chains to applied electric fields have been performed, and have shown that laser induced breakdown provides a well controlled means of guiding electrical discharges. New studies have now determined the electrical and dynamic properties of laser-guided discharge channels. By coupling these measured electrical and dynamic properties to simple analytic models, a clearer picture of the generation and evolution of hot air channels has emerged