Characteristics of the initiation of the explosive decomposition of PETN by the second-harmonic pulsed radiation of a neodymium laser

Abstract

The critical fluence of the initiation of the explosive decomposition of pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) by the second harmonic of a neodymium laser (532 nm) is found to be 12.3 J/cm2. It is shown that, under these conditions, the nonlinear two-photon absorption of light takes place. The critical fluence of the initiation of PETN explosive decomposition in the two-photon absorption mode is calculated within the framework of the thermal explosion model (14.7 J/cm2), which indicates that the thermal mechanism of explosive decomposition is operative under these conditions.