Electrical Discharge Induced by Ultra-Short High-Power Laser
-Triggering and Guiding Effect-

Abstract

Triggering and guiding of electrical discharge using an ultra-short, high-power laser is demonstrated. Laser-induced breakdown is observed at a gap length of 2m and a voltage of -1.12MV. Breakdown voltages at a gap length of 1m are reduced by 23% and 5% of the natural breakdown voltage at negative and positive polarity, respectively. Maximum triggering effect is observed for laser pulses at 2μs after the rise of the applied high voltage pulse. Multiple filamentation is expected to allow long distance guiding effect using long distance propagation of multiple filaments.