Laser-induced shock waves from micro-scale volumina and in small tubes

Shock waves induced in a volume with a lateral dimension of the order of micrometers are investigated. In particular, shocks of spherical geometry are generated by means of weakly ionized laser produced plasmas. The plasmas are generated by intense pulsed laser radiation focused directly in atmospheric air. These measurements serve as tests for subsequent shocks launched from such laser plasmas into a narrow tube. The shock velocity as well as the density distribution are measured with a laser interferometer. Experimental results for shocks from nanosecond and femtosecond laser-generated plasmas are compared.