Plasma-field structures during relativistic laser interaction with overdense plasmas at finite electron temperatures

A simple model taking into account the effect of electron temperature is derived to define the plasma-field structures which may arise during relativistically intense laser interaction with overdense plasmas. We show that there exist multilayer solutions with electron cavitation, allowing for both relativistic and ponderomotive nonlinearities. The influence of finite electron temperature on such structures is studied. Examples of these plasma-field structures for the cases of an infinite plasma and a plasma layer are presented.     

A DCN laser interferometer for electron density measurements of plasmas

The main characteristic of this interferometric system is such that the systems can be used for DCN laser (=195m, 190m) and also for HCN laser (=337m) by changing the work medium, regulating the temperature of tube wall and adjusting the optic path, without changing any optic element.     

Panoramic measurements of electron beam densities by Thomson scattering of laser radiation

The possibility of using a panoramic detector with a television signal-recording system in an apparatus to observe Thomson scattering of laser radiation by a nonrelativistic electron beam is discussed. Panoramas of Thomson and Rayleigh scattering and of the electron beam luminescence are presented. Estimates are given of the sensitivity and spatial resolution of the apparatus. Results of panoramic and single-point methods of investigation are compared. Possibilities for extending the range of the Thomson scattering method to measure the density distribution in nonrelativstic electron beams are discussed. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 69, 80–83 (June 1999)     

Spectral measurements of incipient plasma temperature and electron number density during laser ablation of aluminum in air

Plasmas generated during incipient laser ablation of aluminum in air were studied using emission spectroscopy. A plasma emission model was developed, invoking one-dimensional radiative transfer, to describe the observed emission spectra, while taking into account the effects of continuum radiation. Theoretical spectra were calculated and compared to experimental spectra in the range 387–406 nm. Satisfactory agreement was found between the experimental and predicted spectra, especially at delay times of 30–200 ns, thus providing plasma temperatures and electron number densities as functions of delay time and laser irradiance (1.8–8.0 GW/cm²). In general, both the plasma temperature and electron number density rise at greater laser irradiances but drop at increasing delay times, with a more rapid drop for delay times less than 60 ns. PACS 42.62.Fi; 52.25.-b     

Characterization of laser ablation plasmas by laser beam deflection

Laser probe beam and multiple-pass deflection techniques were used for real time and in situ monitoring of laser ablation plasma plumes in the mTorr pressure regime. Intensity and transit time of shock wave fronts were studied as functions of focal lens position, laser energy and pressure. The velocity of the shock wave was determined to be up to 30 km s⁻¹ for a pressure of 40 mTorr and to drop below 4 km s⁻¹ at 1 Torr. For transparent targets rear-side shock wave velocity was on to be slower than the corresponding front one. This method promises a reliable diagnostic tool for pulsed laser deposition processing allowing an increase in the quality of coating technologies.     

Energy distribution of ions in plasma formed by laser ablation of metallic Nb and Ta targets

The laser plasma plume expansion induced by UV nanosecond irradiation from metallic Nb and Ta targets has been studied using Langmuir probe time-of-flight measurements. The ion current shape was measured as a function of the laser radiation flux at various probe-to-target distances. The ion velocity distribution and the ion energy spectra have been determined by measuring the time of flight of ions reaching the Langmuir probe. A multi-mode velocity distribution of ions has been revealed. The dependence of the amplitudes of the plume energy components on the plume scatter time and on the laser radiation flux has been investigated. The experimental time-of-flight data have been compared with a Maxwell velocity distribution. The threshold values of the laser intensity were determined for different distribution modes in the ion energy spectrum.     

In situ time-resolved optical measurements of a-Si thin films during excimer laser crystallization

An in situ time-resolved optical reflection and transmission (TRORT) monitoring system combining two He-Ne probe lasers, a digital oscilloscope and three fast photodetectors is developed to investigate the crystallization processes of Si thin films during excimer laser crystallization (ELC). The physical meaning of optical spectra obtained by TRORT measurements has been interpreted in detail. The melt duration and transient phase transformation dynamics of Si thin films can be determined and interpreted immediately. A high efficiency and non-destructive evaluation approach is proposed for determining the grain size of polycrystalline Si after ELC directly and immediacy under appropriate experimental conditions.     

Simple determination of electron densities in plasmas submitted to magnetic fields

A method is described to measure electron densities in plasmas with a sufficiently strong magnetic field superposed. The profiles of the spectral lines emitted by such a plasma are shaped by the Stark and Zeeman effect (Lorentz-triplet). Eliminating the central Zeeman component by a polarizer or observing in field direction, one gets a doublet, in which for a given spectral line and magnetic field strength the ratioI ₀/I _z of minimum to maximum intensities is only a function of the electron density. Measuring this ratio one finds the corresponding densities by means of calibration curves given below for the He I lineλ=5876 å. This calibration is independent of the spectral arrangement, when utilizing a polarizer for the spectral observation.     

Space- and time-resolved investigation of gain lines in Na-like copper

We report space- and time-resolved measurements of the gain coefficient for four gain lines in sodium-like copper. The lines investigated include the twon = 1 transitions 5g–4f and 5f–4d at 11.1 nm and 10.3nm and the twon = 2 transitions 6g–4f and 6f–4d at 7.2 nm, and 6.9 nm. The investigations were carried out for four irradiation intensities from 4 × 10¹² W/cm² to 3 × 10¹³ W/cm² using the Asterix IV high-power iodine laser at Garching (wavelength 1.315 µm, pulse duration 450 ps).The main results may be summarized as follows: On varying the laser intensity it was found that the highest values of the gain could be seen at an irradiation of 8 × 10¹² W/cm². For then = 1 lines the spatial maximum of the gain occurred at a distance of 300 µm from the target, and for then = 2 lines at 200 µm. The temporal gain maximum occurred at a time of 1.8 ns after the pulse maximum. The gain values range up to 2.6 cm^–1.Dedicated to the memory of the late Prof. Shi-shen Chen, who contributed to the early phase of this work     

Paramagnetic susceptibility of an interacting electron gas at metallic densities

We present a self-consistent theory for the frequency and wave number dependent paramagnetic response of an interacting electron gas. The theory leads to an expression for the ‘local field’ responsible for the susceptibility enhancement, which is determined numerically by solving three coupled non-linear integral equations. Calculated values of the static susceptibility are in good agreement with experiment for simple metals in the entire metallic density range.     

Using three-body recombination to extract electron temperatures of ultracold plasmas

Three-body recombination, an important collisional process in plasmas, increases dramatically at low electron temperatures, with an accepted scaling of Te(-9/2). We measure three-body recombination in an ultracold neutral xenon plasma by detecting recombination-created Rydberg atoms using a microwave-ionization technique. With the accepted theory (expected to be applicable for weakly coupled plasmas) and our measured rates, we extract the plasma temperatures, which are in reasonable agreement with previous measurements early in the plasma lifetime. The resulting electron temperatures indicate that the plasma continues to cool to temperatures below 1 K.     

Structures of BiInSn nanoparticles formed through laser ablation

The eutectic alloy of BiInSn was ablated in water by UV pulsed radiation. Electron microscopy of the ablated material shows spherical particles that fall into three size regimes: those with diameters of ～0.5 μm, crystalline and amorphous particles with dimensions of ～30 nm, and amorphous particles that are approximately 1 nm across. The 30-nm amorphous particles are homogeneous, while there are two types of 30-nm crystalline particles, those that separate into three phases and those that are homogeneous. The existence of different characteristic sizes is explained by two mechanisms: phase explosion and Rayleigh instability of the ejected melt.     

Use of Rydberg atoms to control electron temperatures in ultracold plasmas

We investigate the idea of adding Rydberg atoms to an ultracold plasma to control the electronic temperature of the plasma. We show that a certain amount of control is indeed possible, and discuss limitations for the extent of electron cooling. Experimental data are found to be in good agreement with numerical simulations.     

电子回旋共振氩等离子体中亚稳态粒子数密度及电子温度的测量

测量了电子回旋共振（ECR）氩等离子体中Ar的1s₅亚稳态粒子数密度，在气压 为02—0 8 Pa、功率为500—700W的范围内，利用吸收光谱法测量了Ar原子8115 nm谱线的吸收强 度，得到1s₅亚稳态粒子数密度为1×10¹⁵—4×10¹⁵ m ^-3.本文综合考 虑基态和1s₅亚稳态粒子的激发对Ar发射谱线强度的贡献后，用两条发射谱线强 度之比得 到电子温度.结果表明，计入了1s₅亚稳态激发的贡献后，所得到的电子温度与 只考虑基态的贡献得到的电子温度相比存在较大的差别. 关键词： 光谱法 亚稳态粒子数密度 电子温度 ECR等离子体源     

Dynamics of excimer laser ablation of polyimide determined by time-resolved reflectivity

The time-dependent intensity profile of pulsed KrF excimer laser radiation reflected from polyimide is determined over a range of laser fluences, from well below to above the ablation threshold. The reflected laser beam is truncated once the incident laser radiation exceeds a threshold fluence, i.e., truncation depends on the energy per unit area and not on the intensity, analogous to results for the ablation threshold and the etch depth per pulse. The threshold fluence for pulse truncation corresponds to the onset of ablation. The results indicate that the truncation is not due to laser plasma interactions at these fluences. A general mechanism is discussed involving a time dependent index of refraction.     

激光诱导Ni 等离子体电子温度、电子密度的时间演化特性研究

本文在350～600 nm波长范围内测定了激光烧蚀Ni等离子体中Ni原子的时间分辨发射光谱.由发射光谱线的强度和Stark展宽分别计算了等离子体电子温度和电子密度,并由实验结果讨论了激光等离子体中电子温度、电子密度的时间演化特性.