Determining the onset of mechanical failure of silver azide crystals initiated by a laser pulse

The onset of mechanical failure of a silver azide single crystal initiated by a laser pulse was determined experimentally. Three independent techniques were employed: comparative measurement of the explosive luminescence signal detected from the entire volume of the experimental cell and from the exposed zone; measurement of the conductivity signal of the explosion products; measurement of the signal of the acoustic sensor. It is shown that the onset of failure of the sample and the ejection of explosion products falls in the region of the maximum luminescence intensity detected from the region exposed to the laser pulse.