Lens Aberration Effects in Optical-Frequency Breakdown of Gases

Abstract

The role of primary spherical aberration caused by simple lenses used in studies of laser-induced breakdown of gases has been investigated theoretically. The results obtained lead to an explanation of the observed multiplicity of distinct collinear regions of intense ionization along the optic axis near the lens focus. The values of separation between distinct plasmas and their apparent propagation velocity towards the lens calculated from the analysis are in good agreement with measured values.