Abstract

Since the interaction of a laser beam or otherwise called laser radiation with droplets in pendant position is a key process in the data reported in the book, the current chapter is dedicated to the description of the main properties of a laser beam of the kind used in presented experiments. Basically, laser emits electromagnetic radiation with particular properties described briefly in this chapter, such as: coherence (spatial and temporal), directivity coupled with mode structure, narrow (lower than 0.1 nm) spectral width, time structure of the emission (pulsed or continuous wave-cw), polarisation state (which is in most cases linear or closed to linear), Gaussian distribution of intensity in beam cross section, high beam energy, power and brightness.