Influence of pulse duration, energy, and focusing on laser-assisted water condensation

We investigate the influence of laser parameters on laser-assisted water condensation in the atmosphere. Pulse energy is the most critical parameter. Nanoparticle generation depends linearly on energy beyond the filamentation threshold. Shorter pulses are more efficient than longer ones with saturation at ∼1.5 ps. Multifilamenting beams appear more efficient than strongly focused ones in triggering the condensation and growth of submicronic particles, while polarization has a negligible influence on the process. The data suggest that the initiation of laser-assisted condensation relies on the photodissociation of the air molecules rather than on their photoionization.