Effect of various gases on formative times of laser-triggered spark gap

According to the streamer theory for the laser-triggered spark gap, gases with higher Townsend ¿ coefficients and avalanche drift times. Thus faster switching was observed by using oxygen or air instead of nitrogen (in that order) or by increasing the amount of argon added to nitrogen. Clouding of the focusing lens was observed over a group of about 200 laser shots at 7 MW. No significant lens clouding was observed with 5 MW laser power, even after 1000 shots.