High-power laser radiation damage to transparent insulators

An experimental investigation was made of the kinetics of the post-breakdown phenomena accompanying the focusing of high-power laser radiation inside transparent insulators (using the example of single-crystal potassium alum). Measurements were made of the rate of growth of the damage region and of the propagation velocity of the elastic wave, its amplitude and wavelength. The dimensions of the breakdown region were compared with those of the damage zone in the insulator. An analysis was made of the laser radiation energy distribution in the observed phenomenon.