title: Air breakdown in a radial-mode focusing element.
abstract: A new radial focusing device is described that condenses an incident laser beam to an extremely intense and uniformly illuminated focal spot. The focal region is useful for many applications. When used with a 10.6-microm CO(2) TEA laser source, a disk-shaped air-breakdown spark results, and the properties of this spark have been investigated.
authors.forename: L W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Casperson
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Shekhani