R. Navarro-gonzalez et M. Villagran-muniz, Effect of beam waist on shock properties of laser-induced plasmas in air by the photoacoustic probe beam deflection method, ANAL SCI, 17, 2001, pp. S118-S121
A plasma induced by focusing in air at atmospheric pressure a 7 ns Nd:YAG l
aser at 1.06 mum was studied by the photoacoustic probe beam deflection met
hod. This technique is used for the first time to study shock waves from la
ser induced plasmas in air. We have studied the effect of beam waist on ene
rgy deposition. Our results indicate no appreciable effect on the shock wav
e properties of laser-induced plasmas formed with different focal distance
in the range from 2.5 cm to 20 cm at mus time scale. The technique was foun
d to be versatile, economic and simple to implement giving essential inform
ation for the shock wave evolution generated from plasmas produced by diffe
rent methods.