Influence of ultrashort laser pulse duration on the X-ray emission spectrum of plasma produced in cluster target

Line emission spectrum of a laser plasma produced in an argon cluster jet target was measured on the n ¹ P1?1¹ S ₀ (n=5–9) transitions of the helium-like Ar XVII ion for a pulse duration varying from 45 fs to 1.1 ps and a constant fluence of ～10⁵ J/cm². The independent modeling of the relative intensities of the transitions from the n=5,..., 10 levels, as well as of the 2¹ P ₁? 1² S ₀ and 2³ P ₁?1² S ₀ lines and dielectronic satellites indicates that the electron temperature is anomalously low and that the electron density in emitting plasma increases with shortening the laser pulse. The excitation from the ground state by a small fraction of hot electrons is expected to be the main channel of populating the Ar XVII levels.     

Interaction of a high-intensity ultrashort laser pulse with extended nanofilaments of dense plasma

Generation and propagation of fast electrons in laser targets consisting of thin nanofilaments are studied numerically and analytically. Such targets completely absorb laser radiation and exhibit a large coefficient of laser-energy conversion to kinetic energy of a flow of fast electrons. Analytical estimates show that the optimal thickness of the filament is on the order of the skin depth of the laser plasma, while an optimal distance between filaments is on the order of the Debye radius of hot electrons. A bunch of relativistic electrons can propagate as far as several hundred micrometers in such targets, while the fastest electrons can propagate several millimeters. Upon bending of filaments, the flow of electrons propagates along the filaments and can be focused by bringing the filaments together. Laser targets of the discussed composition are used as sources of dense bunches of relativistic electrons and subsequent generation of high-intensity X-ray radiation with their help.     

Space-resolved soft X-ray emission from laser produced lithium plasma

Space-resolved emission spectroscopy was used to study the evolution of 13.5 nm line intensity and electron temperature of the plasma generated by laser ablation of lithium target. Two emitting regions were observed, their intensities depending on laser fluency. Plasma image is discussed in the frame of a Gaussian model of particle expansion.     

Spectral and temporal analysis of ultrashort ultraviolet pulses generated by high-intensity laser radiation in the atmosphere

We report direct spectral and temporal characterization of ultrashort ultraviolet (UV) pulses resulting from third-harmonic generation by high-intensity Ti: sapphire laser radiation in the atmosphere. The experimental technique implemented in this work enables the measurement of the pulse width and the chirp of the UV field, as well as the electron density of the plasma produced by laser pulses. The bandwidth of the third harmonic generated in our experiments by laser pulses with an initial pulse width of 45 fs supports transform-limited UV pulses as short as 30 fs.     

超强激光脉冲作用下的Au等离子体L-X射线辐射测量

基于SILEX-Ⅰ激光器,利用单光子计数型电荷耦合器件,在超强超短脉冲激光与高纯度Au靶相互作用中,通过改变入射激光的能量,测量了不同激光功率密度下的Au等离子体L-X射线发射谱。实验结果表明:在超强超短脉冲激光作用下,Au等离子体L-X射线发射过程中由于高速电子存在,会诱发很强的热辐射和轫致辐射,并且Au等离子体特征L-X射线发射强度、热辐射和轫致辐射随激光功率密度增加而增强。     

超强激光脉冲作用下的Au等离子体L-X射线辐射测量

基于SILEX-Ⅰ激光器,利用单光子计数型电荷耦合器件,在超强超短脉冲激光与高纯度Au靶相互作用中,通过改变入射激光的能量,测量了不同激光功率密度下的Au等离子体L-X射线发射谱。实验结果表明:在超强超短脉冲激光作用下,Au等离子体L-X射线发射过程中由于高速电子存在,会诱发很强的热辐射和轫致辐射,并且Au等离子体特征L-X射线发射强度、热辐射和轫致辐射随激光功率密度增加而增强。     

双激光脉冲打靶形成Gd等离子体的极紫外光谱辐射

高端芯片制造所需要的极紫外光刻技术位于我国当前面临35项卡脖子关键核心技术之首.高转换效率的极紫外光源是极紫外光刻系统的重要组成部分.本文通过采用双激光脉冲打靶技术实现较强的6.7 nm极紫外光输出.首先,理论计算Gd¹⁸⁺—Gd²⁷⁺离子最外层4d壳层的4p-4d和4d-4f能级之间跃迁、以及Gd¹⁴⁺—Gd¹⁷⁺离子最外层4f壳层的4d-4f能级之间跃迁对波长为6.7 nm附近极紫外光的贡献.其后开展实验研究,结果表明,随着双脉冲之间延时的逐渐增加,波长为6.7 nm附近的极紫外光辐射强度呈现先减弱、后增加、之后再减弱的变化趋势,在双脉冲延时为100 ns处产生的极紫外光辐射最强.并且,在延时为100 ns处产生的光谱效率最高,相比于单脉冲激光产生的光谱效率提升了33%.此外,发现双激光脉冲打靶技术可以有效地减弱等离子体的自吸收效应,获得的6.7 nm附近极紫外光谱宽度均小于单激光脉冲打靶的情形,且在脉冲延时为30 ns时刻所产生的光谱宽度最窄,约为单独主脉冲产生极紫外光谱宽度的1/3.同时...     

X-ray emission from multi-inner-shell excited states produced by high-intensity short-pulse X-rays

We study the double inner-shell ionization produced by high-intensity short-pulse X-rays and the X-ray emission from doubly inner-shell excited states of Mg (1s ²2s ²2p ⁴3s ²) and Xe (1s ²2s ²2p ⁶3s ²3p ⁶4s ²4p ⁶4d ⁸5s ²5p ⁶). The intensity and pulse width dependence on the X-ray emission is studied.     

Spatial resolution of X-ray line emission in laser produced plasma by shadow techniques

Spatial resolution of X-ray emission from laser-produced plasmas is obtained by placing a 500 μm wire between the plasma and a slitless crystal spectrometer. The sizes of emitting regions of various spectral lines, as well as electron temperature and density spatial profiles are deduced for an Al plasma.     

X-ray emission from aluminium under intense, ultrashort irradiation

We present studies of X-ray emission from aluminium under picosecond and femtosecond irradiation in the intensity range 10¹²-10¹⁵ W cm^-2. We use a new and simple method to measure spectrally resolved absolute X-ray yields. It is shown that the X-ray yields can be obtained for arbitrary levels of X-ray flux. We present details of the variation of the absolute yields as a function of wavelength, intensity, polarization and pulse duration of the incident laser radiation. Electron temperatures in the keV range are observed at 10¹⁵ W cm^-2 with femtosecond laser pulses. Received 12 August 1999 and Received in final form 29 November 1999     

Plasma ion evolution in the wake of a high-intensity ultrashort laser pulse

Experimental investigations of the late-time ion structures formed in the wake of an ultrashort, intense laser pulse propagating in a tenuous plasma have been performed using the proton imaging technique. The pattern found in the wake of the laser pulse shows unexpectedly regular modulations inside a long, finite width channel. On the basis of extensive particle in cell simulations of the plasma evolution in the wake of the pulse, we interpret this pattern as due to ion modulations developed during a two-stream instability excited by the return electric current generated by the wakefield.     

X-ray spectra from highly ionized dense plasmas produced by ultrashort laser pulses

Hydrogen-like and helium-like X-ray spectra (between 7.1 and 8.2 , i.e., 1500 to 17.50 eV, respectively) from solid aluminium targets irradiated with high intensity (up to 10¹⁷ W/cm²) subpicosecond (0.7 ps) laser pulses have been measured. The spectra show that the resonance lines are very broad and very asymmetric. Evidence for a Doppler-shifted reabsorption of the resonance line emission has been found. The spectra have been simulated by a computer code for the calculation of spectral-line intensities and linewidths. Electron densities exceeding the critical density have been estimated for different laser intensities by comparing the observed and simulated intensity ratio of different dielectronic satellite lines. From the X-ray spectra generated byp- ands-polarized radiation fat different laser intensities, the thresholds for the formation of hydrogen-like and helium-like ions have been determined.     

On the possibility of the amplification of subterahertz electromagnetic radiation in a plasma channel created by a high-intensity ultrashort laser pulse

The evolution of the electron energy distribution function in a plasma channel in a xenon plasma at atmospheric pressure created by radiation of a KrF femtosecond laser has been considered. It has been shown that, owing to the existence of the Ramsauer minimum in the transport scattering cross section, such a channel can be used to amplify electromagnetic waves up to the terahertz frequency range at relaxation times of the energy spectrum of ～10^?7 s. The gain factor has been calculated as a function of the time and radiation frequency.     

Pyrolysis craters produced by laser pulse irradiation on propellant solids

The appearance of craters is discussed, which are observed at the surface of propellant solids after laser pulse heating. The discussion is based on the three-dimensional heat flow equation and an infinitesimal short heat source. The experimental crater dimensions are correlated with the laser pulseenergy and the pyrolysis temperature of the solids.     

Enhancement of a 24.77-nm line emitted by the plasma of a boron nitride capillary discharge irradiated by a high-intensity ultrashort laser pulse

Investigations of plasma produced by a boron nitride capillary discharge irradiated with a guided 20-TW Ti: sapphire laser pulse at a peak intensity of 4 x 10(18) W/cm2 are presented. The guided laser radiation in the plasma channel generated He-like ions that, subject to suitable plasma temperature, recombined into Li-like nitrogen ions. Intense radiation at a wavelength of 24.77 nm was observed, indicating possible lasing at the 3d(5/2) - 2p(3/2) transition in Li-like nitrogen.     

Observation of vacuum-ultraviolet Ar2* radiation gain at 126 nm produced by an ultrashort high-intensity laser pulse propagating in a hollow fiber

We observed a small-signal gain of Ar2* emission at 126 nm by use of a hollow fiber to guide the high-intensity laser propagation in high-pressure Ar. The small-signal gain coefficient was measured to be 0.05 cm(-1) at 126 nm. Kinetic analysis revealed that the electrons produced by the high-intensity laser through an optical-field-induced ionization process initiated the Ar2* production processes. The increase in the emission intensity was measured to be exp(2.5), with an increase in the fiber length.     

Observation of X-ray spectra from nitrogen clusters irradiated with high-intensity ultrashort laser pulses

X-ray spectra from nitrogen clusters irradiated with ultrashort laser pulses are reported. The line spectra of H-like and He-like nitrogen ions have been observed by irradiation with 100 fs, 800 nm pulses at 7×10¹⁷ W/cm² irradiance. The generation of highly charged ions of N⁶⁺ and N⁷⁺ is explained by the optical field-induced ionization and the subsequent collisional ionizations in the clusters. The He-δline has anomalously high brightness compared to other He-like lines. It is ascribed to charge exchange, which preferentially populates the n=5 level of N⁵⁺. Received: 7 October 1999 / Published online: 23 February 2000     

Backscattering of a high-intensity ultrashort laser pulse from a solid target at oblique incidence

The results of experimental measurement and analytical estimation of the coefficient of backward reflection from targets made of various materials upon their irradiation by a picosecond laser pulse having the intensity of (0.8–4) × 10¹⁸ W/cm² are presented. It is shown that the induced surface instability leads to the formation of a profile backscattering the incident radiation. The coefficient of backward reflection achieves a few percent and has an intensity optimum depending on the target material.