Abstract

By combining the results of the hydrodynamic code CON1D and the beam propagation code LASER, we investigate the propagation of high energy laser beams through vaporizing metallic aerosols in the regime for which the plasma generation becomes important. The plasma is formed in the spherical vapor layer surrounding the irradiated particle. Both the plasma initiation and dynamics are studied. To describe the plasma absorption, we include the effects of inverse bremsstrahlung and photoionization. An effective plasma absorption coefficient allows us to set up a coupled system of equations describing the system consisting of the beam and vapor.

© 1989 Optical Society of America