PRODUCTION OF A POWERFUL OPTICAL PULSATING DISCHARGE (POPD) BY CO2 PULSE-PERIODIC LASER-RADIATION IN SUPERSONIC GAS-FLOW

A powerful optical pulsating discharge (POPD) in a supersonic gas flow has been developed. A POPD created by the CO2 pulse-periodic laser ra diation with a high repetition frequency (up to 100 kHz) is stable bot h at low and supersonic gas flow velocities. The threshold average rad iation power depends on the gas flow velocity and the repetition frequ ency of laser pulses and falls within the range similar to 0.5-1.5 kW in argon. A POPD is a stable plasma feature that absorbs laser radiati on with the efficiency similar to 90% and generates a stationary gas-d ynamic disturbance of a high-speed gas flow.