Abstract
A continuous ionized path of several centimeters is created by propagating a high peak power femtosecond laser pulse in air. A lightning discharge is triggered by this ionized channel at half the self breakdown field.1 Self-trapped filaments2 formed from high intensity laser beam propagating in air also succeeded in initiating lightning discharges.3 In both cases, the laser pulse generates a low density electron channel (1011 e−/cm3), which is essential for the experiment of laser-induced spark discharge across a wide gap.
© 1994 IEEE
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