Midinfrared optical breakdown in transparent dielectrics.
Optical breakdown measurements for transparent dielectrics are reported for 1 ps laser pulses as a function of mid-IR wavelength from 4.7 to 7.8 microm. For wide-gap dielectrics seed electrons are generated by tunnel ionization with subsequent avalanche ionization and laser absorption by dense plasma. For narrow-gap dielectrics tunnel ionization alone leads to dense plasma formation.
Simanovskii
D M
DM
W. W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA.
Schwettman
H A
HA
Lee
H
H
Welch
A J
AJ