Laser-induced breakdown and laser induced plasma?

[hunter88]

I am developing a math model to describe laser ablation process considering the plasma. My supervisor want to know the exactly difference between the laser induced breakdown and laser induced plasma. After a lot search, I personally think that the 'breakdown' is the first step of plasma formation. And the plasma can be viewed as the final result of the laser induced breakdown. Can anyone give me a more precise definition between this two concepts? Thanks

 

[gtoguy97]

Laser induced breakdown (LIB) is a process in which a laser beam is used to ionize a material, resulting in the formation of a plasma. The laser energy causes the electrons in the material to be excited, resulting in a cascade of energetic electrons that cause further ionization in a chain reaction. This creates a highly energetic and localized state of matter that can be used for various applications such as laser ablation or material processing.Laser induced plasma (LIP) is the result of the LIB process. The laser energy is absorbed by the material, resulting in the formation of an ionized plasma. This plasma is characterized by the presence of free electrons and ions, and is typically much hotter than the original material. The LIP is then used for various applications, such as laser ablation or material processing.