The Boeing Company
DEFENSE MECHANISM AGAINST DIRECTED-ENERGY SYSTEMS BASED ON LASER INDUCED ATMOSPHERIC OPTICAL BREAKDOWN

Abstract:

A laser defense system may be used to generate a plasma shield for protecting a structure against a directed-energy source. The laser defense system may include a short pulsed laser which generates plasma in a plasma shield region between the structure and the directed-energy source. Because plasma is opaque to electromagnetic radiation, the laser signal emitted by the directed-energy source is absorbed by the plasma shield rather than striking the structure.