Diagnostics of the temperature of a plasma created by a CO2 laser,from the UV radiation spectrum

Delivered at the Fifth All-Union Conference on Diagnostics of a High-Temperature Plasma (18–22 June, 1990, Minsk).     

Distributions of ions in a cluster plasma created by a laser pulse

Energy and charge distributions of ions are calculated for a cluster beam irradiated by a high-power ultrashort laser pulse. It is shown that the self-consistent field of a cluster ionized by the laser beam strongly affects the characteristics of the ion distributions obtained after the cluster explodes. The mean concentration of atoms bound into clusters in a beam, the cluster size distribution, and the focal-spot diameter are found to have a weak effect on both energy and charge distributions of the ions, whereas the energy spectrum of the produced ions is determined by the mean cluster size.     

Optimization of two parallel wires of laser plasma filaments for channeling electromagnetic energy

We theoretically investigated the electromagnetic wave (EMW) transmission along two parallel wires of laser plasma filaments produced by the filamentation of ultrafast laser pulses in air. Many factors, such as wire diameter and separation, electron density, and operating frequency are shown to influence the propagation loss. By taking into consideration the radiation and transmission effects of the wires, the calculations of the two parallel filament wires reasonably agrees with that of the standard commercial twin-lead wire. Specifically, the optimum separation of the two wires is determined for a given frequency and an effective electron density of the wires. When compared with free-space propagation, transmission enhancement of tens dB is obtained using optimized wire configurations. Thus, the two plasma wires may be a potential channel for point to point directed delivery of EM energy or communication of pulsed-modulated EM radiation.     

Expansion dynamics of the plasma plume created by laser ablation in a background gas

The dynamics of the expansion of the plasma plume induced by laser ablation of a copper target at a fluence of 17 J/cm² was investigated theoretically by means of a Monte Carlo simulation. When the expansion occurs under a relatively high pressure, the ambient gas particles may be involved in the collective motion of the plume. The simulation allows the study of the simultaneous collective motion of different species, such as the laser-ablated and the ambient gas particles. The influence of the background gas nature and pressure on the laser-induced plasma plume expansion behavior was studied. The expansion dynamics were found to be different in the case of the expansion in ambient gases of different molecular weight. The dynamics of the plume expansion under an argon pressure of 200 Pa seem to be strongly related to the equilibration of the pressure gradients in the gas phase, and evidence of the oscillatory behavior of the plume expansion was shown from the evolution over time of the pressure profiles in the plume. This behavior has also been observed in similar conditions for a krypton atmosphere, but for a lower pressure than for argon. The vortical flow formation at the plume periphery, involving both the laser-ablated and the argon particles at moderate pressure, was also predicted from the Monte Carlo simulation.     

Fusion reactions in a plasma created by the second harmonic of a Nd glass laser

About 10³ neutrons are observed for two locations of the focus with respect to the surface of a D₂ ice. A maximum 10% reflectivity is obtained for an intermediate position.     

Distribution and evolution of electrons in a cluster plasma created by a laser pulse

We analyze the properties and the character of the evolution of an electron subsystem of a large cluster (with a number of atoms n～10⁴?10⁶) interacting with a short laser pulse of high intensity (10¹⁷?10¹⁹ W/cm²). As a result of ionization in a strong laser field, cluster atoms are converted into multicharged ions, part of the electrons being formed leaves the cluster, and the other electrons move in a self-consistent field of the charged cluster and the laser wave. It is shown that electron-electron collisions are inessential both during the cluster irradiation by the laser pulse and in the course of cluster expansion; the electron distribution in the cluster therefore does not transform into the Maxwell distribution even during cluster expansion. During cluster expansion, the Coulomb field of a cluster charge acts on cluster ions more strongly than the pressure resulting from electron-ion collisions. In addition, bound electrons remain inside the cluster in the course of its expansion, and cluster expansion therefore does not lead to additional cluster ionization.     

Recombination properties of Rydberg nonequilibrium plasma created by dye laser

Ultracold Rydberg plasma formed by a dye laser has been studied theoretically. Recombination properties in the presence of three-body collisions in hydrogen-like plasma have been investigated. We have shown that the existing calculation models for three-body recombination (Thomson model, diffusion approximation, and modified diffusion approximation) work only in the high-electron-temperature region—more than or equal to 1 eV. When the electron temperature is substantially less 1 eV, we have found the strong dependence of process probability on the energy of free particle. As a result, there is a drastic slowdown recombination in the region, where the three-body recombination dominates. Another reason for this slowdown of the recombination deals with the increment nonideality parameter. Effect of slowdown of recombination with free-body collisions can be reduced to the situation when the thermal equilibrium is set earlier than the ionization equilibrium, and, hence, the formation of metastable structure is possible in the plasma. Also this effect can cause the inverse population on Rydberg levels.     

Filaments in high-speed counter-streaming plasma interactions driven by high-power laser pulses

Interactions of two counter-streaming plasmas driven by high power laser pulses are studied on Shenguang II laser facility.Filamentary structures were observed in the interaction region after the electrostatic shockwave decay.Theoretical analysis and observations indicate that the filaments are because of collisionless mechanisms,which are caused by the electromagnetic instability,such as the beam-Weibel instability.Collision experiments were also carried out for comparison and no filaments were generated.     

Hydrodynamics of a dense plasma created during laser annealing pulses

We show that an electron-hole plasma with density well above the droplet one (≈ 10¹⁸ cm^?3 in Si) expands very fast. Adding Auger recombination and phonon collisions, the maximum density for typical laser annealing pulses is found to be at most a few times 10²⁰ cm^?3. As a plasma density of a few times 10²¹ cm^?3 is necessary to modify the stability of the solid, we conclude that the laser pulse has essentially a thermal effect.     

Microwave radiation generated by a high-power air explosion

The special features of the generation of microwave radiation by a high-power air explosion accompanied by ionizing radiation are discussed. Coherent pulse caused by asymmetry of the ejection of gamma quanta from a source, incoherent bremsstrahlung of a partially ionized plasma, incoherent radiation of the shock wave front, and radiation in spectral lines lying inside air transparency windows are considered.     

Concatenation of plasma filaments created in air by femtosecond infrared laser pulses

We report the first observation of the attachment of two single plasma filaments created collinearly in the atmosphere by IR femtosecond laser pulses. The linked filamentary structure is electrically conductive and emits sub-THz radiation over its entire length. Concatenation is achieved only for a specific time ordering between the two initial laser pulses. The pulse producing the filament closer to the laser source must be retarded with respect to the other pulse. This special time ordering is attributed to the acceleration of light in a self-guided pulse. Received: 4 March 2003 / Published online: 14 May 2003 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author. Fax: +33-1/6931-9996, E-mail: stzortz@ensta.fr     

High-power, kilojoule class laser channeling in millimeter-scale underdense plasma

Experiments were performed using the Omega EP laser, operating at 740 J of energy in 8 ps (90 TW), which provides extreme conditions relevant to fast ignition studies. A carbon and hydrogen plasma plume was used as the underdense target and the interaction of the laser pulse propagating and channeling through the plasma was imaged using proton radiography. The early time expansion, channel evolution, filamentation, and self-correction of the channel was measured on a single shot via this method. A channel wall modulation was observed and attributed to surface waves. After around 50 ps, the channel had evolved to show bubblelike structures, which may be due to postsoliton remnants.     

Self-focusing of elliptically shaped high-power laser beams in a fully ionized plasma

The effect of self-focusing of a high-power light beam with an elliptical cross-section in a strongly ionised plasma has been evaluated. The mechanism of self-focusing considered is non-uniform heating of plasma by an electromagnetic wave having transverse variation of amplitude along its wave front. The heating causes redistribution of carriers which lead to a nonlinear relationship between the electron density and the electric vector and hence to a field-dependent effective dielectric constant. It is found that the beam gets focused at different focal points in different directions exhibiting the effect of astigmatism. There are several critical powers, below thex=0,y=0 planes; at higher powers one dimension focuses while the other defocusses, an oscillatory waveguide is formed in both dimensions. Above the highest critical power both dimensions self-focus, the dimensionless beam width parametersf ₁ andf ₂ forx andy focusing reach different minima corresponding to different self-focusing distances beyond which both dimensions continue diverging. The effect of energy loss through absorption from the beam has also been considered. It has been observed that absorption brings about a reduction in the extent of self-focusing and favours defocusing of the beam.     

Analysis of spectra of acoustic signals generated by high-power pulsed laser radiation propagating in the atmosphere. I. Spectra of local plasma formations

Results of theoretical and experimental investigations into the spectra of acoustic signals generated by high-power pulsed laser radiation propagating in the atmosphere in the breakdown mode are given in the present paper. In Part I, results of theoretical and experimental investigations into the spectra of acoustic signals from laser breakdown initiated on a single solid aerosol particle and an ensemble of monodisperse particles depending on the particle material and sizes are presented. In Part II, spectra of acoustic signals from laser sparks in the atmosphere are analyzed, and the special features of the spectra of acoustic signals from individual plasma formations and discrete laser sparks are discussed. __________ Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 11, pp. 74–80, November, 2005.     

Distribution function and electron state density in nonequilibrium plasma created by dye laser

Ultracold nonequilibrium plasma created by a dye laser has been studied by the molecular dynamics method. Electrons and protons in this model of nonequilibrium plasma interacted according to the Coulomb law. In the case of electron-proton interaction and a distance between particles r < a ₀ (Bohr radius), the interaction energy is constant, e ²/a ₀ (e is the charge of electron). An initial proton kinetic energy is set randomly so that the average kinetic energy is 0.01–1 K. Initial full electron energy is also set randomly, but at the same time it is positive; i.e., all the electrons according to our task are located in the continuous spectrum. Average kinetic electron energy per one particle varies from 1 to 50 K. The motion equations in periodical boundary condition for this system have been solved by molecular dynamics method. We have calculated the distribution function in the region near the ionization threshold. The distribution function is being described using electron state density in the nearest neighbor approximation with activity correction.     

Sound generation in the atmosphere upon exposure to high-power milli- and microsecond laser pulses

A review of works on generation of acoustic pulses in the atmosphere upon exposure to high-power laser pulses is presented in this paper. Characteristics of sound pulses in the atmosphere accompanying the propagation of high-power milli- and microsecond laser pulses, including the peak sound pressure level and the shape and spectrum of acoustic pulses, are discussed. The special features of acoustic pulses from individual liquid and solid aerosol particles and ensembles of monodisperse particles and polydisperse atmospheric aerosol are discussed. The characteristics of acoustic signals from long laser sparks and collective optical discharges are considered.     

Second-harmonic generation of a Gaussian laser beam in a self created magnetized plasma channel

The second-harmonic generation of an intense self-guided right circularly polarized laser beam in a magnetized plasma is investigated. The laser imparts oscillatory velocity to electrons and exerts a radial ponderomotive force on them to create a depleted density channel. The critical power for self-focusing shows huge reduction as electron cyclotron frequency approaches the laser frequency (/spl omega//sub c/ /spl rarr/ /spl omega/). In the presence of the self-created radial density gradient, the laser drives a density perturbation at the fundamental frequency. The density perturbation beats with the oscillatory velocity to produce a second harmonic current density, driving second harmonic radiation copropagating with the laser. The second harmonic, however, is azimuthally asymmetric with /spl theta/-variation as exp(i/spl theta/). Its amplitude shows resonant enhancement as /spl omega//sub c/ /spl rarr/ /spl omega/.     

高能激光大气传输的仿真实验研究

 对高能激光在大气中传输时产生的热晕效应及其相位补偿进行了室内仿真实验测量,获得了自适应光学系统开闭环时用来衡量光束传输效果参量（如远场的光斑图像、质心漂移、二阶矩半径、及Strehl比等）。结果表明,Bradley-Hermann热畸变参数在300范围内,自适应光学系统相位补偿效果显著,Strehl比基本大于0.4。然而随着热畸变效应的进一步加强,出现相位补偿不稳定性现象,补偿效果变差。另外,对自适应光学系统开闭环时的实验结果分别与薄透镜近似分析理论及几何光学近似理论作了比较。比较结果表明:薄透镜近似理论与未补偿时的实验结果吻合较好,而几何光学近似理论与补偿后的实验结果存在较大的偏差。     

高功率激光在非均匀大气中传输的自聚焦效应研究进展

地基激光空间碎片清除和利用激光辐射把转换的太阳能从空间轨道输运到地面等应用中,不可避免地遇到高功率激光在非均匀大气中的传输问题。由于激光功率已远远超过大气非线性自聚焦临界功率,大气自聚焦效应是影响光束质量的一个重要物理因素。概述了近年来国内外高功率激光在非均匀大气中上行或下行传输的自聚焦效应研究进展,主要介绍了高功率激光在非均匀大气中的传输模型、理论基础、数值和解析研究方法,着重介绍了自聚焦效应对激光传输特性和光束质量的影响,并总结了优化靶面光束质量的方案。此外,还介绍了大气群速度色散效应和大气湍流效应等物理因素对激光光束质量的影响。最后,还提出了该领域值得进一步深入研究的一些问题。