I read the posts, but some of it just didn't make sense to me. I understand why it's impossible now. I was just under the impression that the plasma was created and terminated in the same manner as done by a tesla coil. I still don't completely understand why the plasma "hangs" around that extra 1/5th or so of a second. Once the laser turns off, it seems like the plasma would instantly die off, just as it does when the tesla coil is turned off. I'm also unclear on how the laser creates the plasma in mid-air. If it's heating the air to create it, it seems like the plasma would form at the point at which the beam exits the aperture, where it's hottest, rather than several feet from the aperture in the air. Could someone please explain this? Again, sorry if this was covered in the pdf. I read it, but had trouble understanding some of the concepts. I'm a music major, not engineering, electronic, or mechanical.
Speaking of singing tesla's, I'm building a prototype SG tesla right now, once it's completed I'm going to get some mosFETs and a new capacitor bank, along with a few other materials and build a SST coil so that I can manipulate the pitch. A friend of mine built one in a high school science fair, should be a fun project. If anyone's interested I have pics of my project, videos soon
Thanks