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 radiation with a high repetition frequency (up to 100 kHz) is stable both at low and supersonic gas flow velocities. The threshold average radiation power depends on the gas flow velocity and the repetition frequency 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 radiation with the efficiency similar to 90% and generates a stationary gas-dynamic disturbance of a high-speed gas flow.