ABSTRACT The principal investigator (PI) observed that holes smaller than the diameter of a laser beam could be created during high-intensity laser ablation of copper and aluminum. The PI postulated that the holes were caused by self-focusing of the laser beam when it interacted with the induced plasma. This proposal seeks to study the self-focusing phenomenon through a combined experimental and analytical effort. The temporal and spatial profiles of laser beams interacting with a plasma will be measured using different laser pulse rates. The experimental results will be used with analyses to give estimates of heat flux and investigate the fundamental mechanisms of self-focusing of laser beams. The PI's educational plan includes using laser demonstrations to stimulate interests among primary and high-school students to learn science and engineering.
