Limits of existence of optical detonation maintained by short-wavelength monochromatic radiation

The feasibility of maintaining optical detonation waves at fairly low densities of the incident flux for small radii of the illuminated spot is considered. Numerical calculations are used to show that the use of ultraviolet lasers emitting near the transparency edge of air (λ = 186 nm) can reduce considerably the lower threshold of maintenance of optical detonation waves. For example, in the case of a KrCl laser (λ = 222 nm) when the incident radiation flux density was q = 2 MW/cm², a stable optical detonation wave was observed for an illuminated spot radius r₀ = 2.5 cm.