Self-oscillatory regimes of laser combustion of metals

Qualitative methods of the theory of nonlinear oscillations are used to show that self-oscillatory laser combustion of refractory metals (tungsten and molybdenum) is possible. Various types of "response" of the laser combustion processes to external perturbations (driven and trigger regimes) are accounted for. This approach provides a unified interpretation of a great variety of experimental phenomena observed in the processes of laser combustion of metals.