Effects of relativistic and ponderomotive nonlinearities on the interaction of high-power laser beam with an inhomogeneous warm plasma

The influence of relativistic-ponderomotive nonlinearities and the plasma inhomogeneity on the nonlinear interaction between a high-power laser beam and a warm underdense plasma are studied. It is clear that the relativistic ponderomotive force and the electron temperature modify the electron density distribution and consequently change the dielectric permittivity of the plasma. Therefore, by presenting the modified electron density and the nonlinear dielectric permittivity of the warm plasma, the electromagnetic wave equation for the propagation of intense laser beam through the plasma is derived. This nonlinear equation is numerically solved and the distributions of electromagnetic fields in the plasma, the variations of electron density, and plasma refractive index are investigated for two different background electron density profiles. The results show that the amplitude of the electric field and electron density oscillations gradually increase and decrease, during propagation in the inhomogeneous warm plasma with linear and exponential density profiles, respectively, and the distribution of electron density becomes extremely sharp in the presence of intense laser beam. It is also indicated that the electron temperature and initial electron density have an impact on the propagation of the laser beam in the plasma and change the plasma refractive index and the oscillations' amplitude and frequency. The obtained results indicate the importance of a proper choice of laser and plasma parameters on the electromagnetic field distributions, density steepening, and plasma refractive index variations in the interaction of an intense laser beam with an inhomogeneous warm plasma.     

A model for arc plasma's optical diagnosis by the measurement of the refractive index

A model, which introduces the ionization degree of plasma, is deduced to reconstruct the temperature and electron number density distributions for arc plasmas via the measurement of the refractive index. The rationality, applicability and superiority of the model are analyzed and discussed theoretically. To experimentally verify whether the model is rational and feasible, an argon arc plasma is chosen as a practical example for experiment, while the measurement of the refractive index is achieved by moiré deflection tomography with the probe wavelength 635 nm. The distribution and imprecision of the reconstructed temperature results indicate that the model is reasonable, feasible and dependable. Besides, the factors which may cause the imprecision of the reconstructed temperature are also analyzed and proposed.     

Spatio-temporal dynamics of electron density in femtosecond laser microplasma of gases

The formation and evolution of femtosecond laser plasma produced in microvolumes of gases at different pressures upon their multiply ionization by high intensity pulses of fundamental and second harmonics of a Ti:sapphire laser is studied. The interferometric technique for precise ultrafast optical diagnostics of such plasma was applied. The numerical technique of interferogram processing and reconstruction of instant spatial distribution of refractive index and free electron density in laser-induced plasma applied for this proposes is described. The spatiotemporal distribution of the refractive index and free electron density were studied with a spatial resolution of ～1 μ m and a temporal resolution of ～70 fs.     

高功率微波在电离层中传播的折射率研究

 高功率微波在电离层中的传播特性主要由其折射率的变化决定，而高功率微波的大气折射率与相应传输层面的电子浓度有关。结合电离层电子浓度分布模型对电子浓度和大气折射率进行了数值模拟，对电离层折射率以及折射率垂直梯度相对于高度的变化特性进行了分析。结合射线描迹法对高功率微波波束传播高度、仰角和距离进行了修正，并在低功率微波下进行实验验证，证实修正值更接近实际值。     

复杂结构自组织等离子体光子晶体光谱研究

利用双水电极介质阻挡放电装置,在气体放电中产生了一种由放电丝自组织形成的复杂结构等离子体光子晶体。该晶体结构由许多四边形的晶胞组成,每个晶胞包括大点、两种不同的小点和线,分别对应粗等离子体柱、两种细等离子体柱和等离子体片。采用发射光谱法,对不同位置处的等离子体状态进行了研究,对比了其电子密度和分子振动温度。具体方法是通过氩原子696.54 nm(2P₂→1S₅)的发射谱线测量谱线展宽进而对比电子密度,通过氮分子第二正带系(C3Π_u→B3Π_g)的发射谱线计算分子振动温度。结果发现：四种不同位置的等离子体具有不同的电子密度和分子振动温度,即它们各自处于不同的等离子体态。电子密度按照降序排列顺序依次为：中心粗等离子体柱四周的细等离子体柱、粗等离子体柱、边缘处的等离子体片、等离子体片交叉点处的细等离子体柱;分子振动温度的变化趋势与电子密度相反。由于等离子体电子密度不同,对光的折射率也不同,因此在该晶体结构中,粗等离子体柱、两种细等离子体柱以及等离子体片具有不同的折射率,它们和周围未放电的区域自组织形成具有五种折射率的复杂结构等离子体光子晶体。该等离子体光子晶体易于产生,具有结构多样、分析简单的优点,具有广泛的应用前景。     

光谱法诊断大气压等离子体电子密度

采用发射光谱方法对大气压氩气介质阻挡放电(DBD)系统中的电子密度进行了诊断。通过考虑放电等离子体中的各种加宽机制, 采用自编的非对称卷积程序对氩原子发射谱线的线型进行分析拟合, 再通过反卷积的方法将各种加宽机制分离开来, 最终将Stark展宽分离出来进行大气压氩气介质阻挡放电电子密度的计算。诊断结果表明, 在大气压氩气介质阻挡放电中当有三个放电丝存在, 电子温度为10000 K时, 电子密度约为4.06×1021 m-3, 诊断结果和模拟结果符合得很好。此方法不仅可以应用在大气压介质阻挡放电中, 还可以用于其他含有非氢气体的大气压等离子体电子密度的测量。     

Interaction of microwaves with atmospheric pressure plasmas

In this paper, the interaction of microwaves with a plasma, generated at atmospheric pressure, is studied. The refractive index, attenuation index, skin depth, attenuation coefficient, phase coefficient, and reflectivity are investigated as functions of the plasma number density, the wave frequency and type of polarization, and the grazing angle. It is found that two frequency regimes characterize these type of plasmas. The first is a range where the phase velocity and attenuation of the wave both increase with frequency. The second is a frequency range in which the phase velocity and attenuation of the wave remain constant. It is also found that to have a shallow skin depth, the plasma number density has to be in the 10¹³ cm^–3 range. The reflectivity is found to be an increasing function of the number density. In horizontal polarization, the reflectivity is a decreasing function of the grazing angle. But in vertical polarization and for grazing angle less than 20°, the reflectivity has a maximum at a frequency , where f_pe is the electron plasma frequency and v is the collision frequency.     

Laser-based optical emission studies of barium plasma

We present the optical emission characteristics of the barium plasma produced at the surface of barium hydroxide Ba(OH)₂, also known as baryta, generated by the first harmonic (1,064 nm) of a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. The laser beam was focused on target material by placing it in air at atmospheric pressure. The experimentally observed line profiles of neutral barium have been used to extract the electron temperature using the Boltzmann plot method, whereas the electron number density has been determined from the Stark broadening. The electron temperature is calculated by varying distance from the target surface along the line of propagation of plasma plume and also by varying the laser energy. Besides, we have studied the variation of number density as a function of laser energy as well as its variation with distance from the target surface. It is observed that electron temperature and electron number density increase as laser energy increases.     

Optical spectroscopic studies of titanium plasma produced by an Nd : YAG laser

We present optical emission characteristics of the titanium plasma produced by the fundamental (1064 nm) and second (532 nm) harmonics of a Q-switched Nd: YAG laser using laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). The experimentally observed line profiles of neutral titanium (Ti I) have been used to extract the electron temperature (T _e ) using the Boltzmann plot method. The electron number density (N _e ) is calculated using the Stark broadening profile of 368.73 nm spectral line. Beside we have studied the spatial variation of electron temperature and number density as a function of laser energy for titanium plasma by placing the target material in air (at atmospheric pressure). We have determined the electron temperature and the electron number density along the axial position of the plasma plume.     

大气压下石英毛细管内氩等离子体放电的发射光谱诊断

在长度为20 cm的石英毛细管内利用两个边缘锋利的中空的针型电极之间的氩气放电产生了高电子密度的大气压等离子体。利用发射光谱对所获得的等离子体的几个重要参数进行了诊断。利用计算机谱线拟合法合成了300 nm附近OH(A-X)的(0-0)转动谱带并通过与测量谱线的比较确定了等离子体的气体温度,根据H_β谱线Stark展宽法计算了等离子体的电子密度,采用玻尔兹曼曲线斜率法依据测得的有关氩的发射光谱估算了等离子体的电子温度。研究结果表明,这种石英毛细管内弧光放电等离子体的气体温度约为(1 100±50)K;电子密度数量级在1014 cm-3;电子温度约为(14 515±500)K。     

针板型大气压氦气冷等离子体射流的二维模拟

大气压冷等离子体射流的传播机理一直是人们研究的一个热点. 本文采用自洽的二维等离子体流体模型, 研究了大气压氦气冷等离子体射流在自身环境气体中以及在介质管中的传播问题. 得到了电子密度、电离速率、空间电场以及电子温度等参量的时空分布规律, 分析了介质管大小以及介质管介电常数对射流放电性质的影响, 得到了一种提高电子密度和射流尺寸的新方法. 关键词： 大气压冷等离子体射流 等离子体子弹 数值模拟 流体模型     

Laser-ablation-induced refractive index fields studied using pulsed digital holographic interferometry

Pulsed digital holographic interferometry has been used to investigate the plume and the shock wave generated in the ablation process of a Q-switched Nd-YAG (λ=1064 nm and pulse duration=12 ns) laser pulse on a polycrystalline boron nitride (PCBN) target under atmospheric air pressure. A special setup based on two synchronised wavelengths from the same laser for simultaneous processing and measurement has been used. Digital holograms were recorded for different time delays using collimated laser light (λ=532 nm) passed through the volume along the target. Numerical data of the integrated refractive index field were calculated and presented as phase maps showing the propagation of the shock wave and the plume generated by the process. Radon inversion has been used to estimate the 3D refractive index fields measured from the projections assuming rotational symmetry. The shock wave density has been calculated using the point explosion model and the shock wave condition equation and its behaviour with time at different power densities ranging from 1.4 to 9.1 GW/cm² is presented. Shock front densities have been calculated from the reconstructed refractive index fields using the Gladstone–Dale equation. A comparison of the shock front density calculated from the reconstructed data and that calculated using the point explosion model at different time delays has been done. The comparison shows quite good agreement between the model and the experimental data. Finally the reconstructed refractive index field has been used to estimate the electron number density distribution within the laser-induced plasma. The electron number density behaviour with distance from the target at different power densities and its behaviour with time are shown. The electron number densities are found to be in the order of 10¹⁸ cm^?3 and decay at a rate of 3×10¹⁵ electrons/cm³ ns.     

Relationship Between the Number Density and the Phase Shift in Microwave Interferometry for Atmospheric Pressure Plasmas

Diagnosing atmospheric pressure discharges requires more sophisticated techniques than for low pressure plasmas. The plasma number density is a crucial parameter in several applications. Langmuir probe as a number density measuring technique is not applicable at high pressures because the electron mean free path is shorter than the Debye distance. Microwave interferometry appears to be an effective diagnostic technique in this case. However, because of the high collisionality of atmospheric pressure plasmas, the relationship between the phase shift, as measured by a microwave interferometer, and the plasma number density is not straightforward, as is the case in collisionless plasmas. For the special case of a uniform discharge, the plasma number density is found to depend on the square root of the phase shift.     

大气压下氩原子谱线辐射诊断试验研究

大气压下介质阻挡放电应用领域具有多范畴、深广度、常态化等优势,针对同轴电极放电试验进行了系列参数诊断。采用自主研发的介质阻挡放电助燃激励器,在一个标准大气压、放电频率11.4 kHz、放电峰值电压5.4～13.4 kV(间隔1.0 kV)条件下进行了氩气电离试验。采用原子发射光谱法(AES)对氩等离子体谱线的激发、分光进行了检测分析;选用二谱线法及Boltzmann法测试了电子激励温度;根据Stark展宽效应计算了电子密度;获得了电子激励温度及电子密度随放电峰值电压增长的变化规律。结果表明,在试验电压条件下电子激励温度并不随外加电压的升高而递增,这表明通道内微放电的主要特征并不依赖于外部电压的供给,而是取决于气体组份、气体压强和放电模型,增大外加放电电压仅增加单位时间内微放电的数量,经整合电子激励温度可达3 500 K符合典型的低温等离子体特征;电子密度随外加电压的增长而趋于准线性趋势,电子密度数量级可达到108～109 cm-3,电离度偏弱。这些参数的探索对等离子体研讨有重大意义。     

Optical emission studies of sulphur plasma using laser induced breakdown spectroscopy

We present the optical emission studies of sulphur (S) plasma generated by the first (1064 nm) and second (532 nm) wavelengths of a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. The target material was placed in front of laser beam in air at atmospheric pressure. The experimentally observed line profiles of neutral sulphur have been used to extract the electron temperature (T _e ) using the Boltzmann plot method, whereas the electron number density (N _e ) has been determined from the Stark broadening. The electron temperature is calculated by varying, distance from, the target surface along the line of propagation of plasma plume and also by varying the laser irradiance. Beside we have studied the variation of number density as a function of laser irradiance as well as its variation with distance from the target surface. It is observed that electron temperature and electron number density increases as laser irradiance is increased.     

Spectroscopic studies of sodium nitrate plasma produced by nanosecond laser ablation

We present the optical emission characteristics of the sodium plasma produced at the surface of sodium nitrate (NaNO₃) also known as Chile saltpeter. We used a Q-switched Nd:YAG (Quantel Brilliant) pulsed laser having a pulse duration of 5?ns and 10?Hz repetition rate which is capable of delivering 400?mJ at 1064?nm and 200?mJ at 532?nm. The target material was placed in front of laser beam in air (atmospheric pressure). The experimentally observed line profiles of neutral sodium have been used to extract the electron temperature using the Boltzmann plot method, whereas the electron number density has been determined from the Stark broadening. The electron temperature is calculated by varying the distance from the target surface along the line of propagation of the plasma plume and also by varying the laser irradiance. Besides, we have studied the variation of number density as a function of laser irradiance as well as its variation with the distance from the target surface. It is observed that electron temperature and electron number density increase as the laser irradiance is increased.     

低混杂波高N‖分量对EAST等离子体电流驱动的影响

EAST等离子体高约束模运行条件下，在等离子体边缘区域观测到明显的等离子体电流带.在EAST托卡马克装置非圆截面平衡位形下，使用射线追踪方法研究低混杂波高平行折射率N_‖分量对电流驱动的影响.结果表明：当-8≤N_‖≤-6时，平行折射率分量能够在小半径（0.7 < r/a < 1）区域驱动kA量级的等离子体电流.对于具有台基区、等离子体边缘温度更高的电子温度剖面，驱动电流的位置r/a>0.9.低混杂波朗道阻尼的理论分析与数值模拟结果一致.另外，高N_‖低混杂波在等离子体边缘的功率沉积和电流驱动与电子温度分布和发射谱分布相关.     

氧等离子体处理对氧化锆薄膜性质的影响

用低能氧等离子体对电子束热蒸发后的沉积氧化锆薄膜进行了后处理。通过对其光学性质、缺陷密度、弱吸收及抗激光辐照等性质的研究后发现,经氧等离子体处理后的氧化锆薄膜的折射率、消光系数、缺陷密度及吸收率等均有所降低,薄膜的激光损伤阈值较未处理的样品有了较大的提高。分析探讨了氧等离子体处理技术对薄膜性质的影响。     

大气温度分布特性及对折射率结构常数的影响

影响大气湍流运动强弱和时空结构的因子比较复杂,大气中平均流场和大气温度的分布都是不均匀的,特别是沿垂直方向的大气温度分布,决定着垂直方向的热力不稳定性和湍流的强弱。观测事实表明,随着季节和天气条件的不同,大气温度垂直分布有很大的变化。通过对我国安徽合肥地区整层(0～20km)大气温度的观测资料的分析,得到了大气温度的垂直分布廓线和统计特性模式误差廓线;大气折射率结构常数Cn^2是表示大气光学湍流强度的一个重要参量,但大气折射率的测量较为困难,因此通常先测量温度起伏量,再用平均的温度和气压来计算得到Cn^2。通过对温度和气压模式误差的分析,可以计算得到Cn^2结果的误差,重点分析大气温度分布特性及由此带来的模式误差,并讨论其对计算Cn^2的影响。