Adequacy of a theoretical model in the solution of the inverse problem of the statistics of laser breakdown

An analysis is made of the possible reasons for the inadequacy of a theoretical model used to solve the inverse problem in the statistics of laser breakdown, i.e., the model employed to find the characteristics of microdefects in a given material from the statistical relationships governing laser breakdown. Some tests for checking the agreement between the model and the experimental situation are discussed. Attention is drawn to the existence of two different approaches to a statistical description of laser damage and the conditions are found under which the results of the two approaches are in agreement. A detailed analysis is made of the consequences of distortions of a laser beam wavefront. A description is given of a method for estimating the real optical strength of a material from the nature of the size dependence of laser breakdown.