Expansion of laser sparks produced by a mode-locked Nd: Glass-laser

Investigations of laser sparks in N₂ and He produced by a mode-locked laser were made with the help of a streak camera. An expansion away and towards the laser depending on the gas pressure was found. The measured expansion velocity of the spark is described by a model based on a radiation mechanism.     

Dependence of the temperature of stochastically heated electrons on the flux density of pulsed laser radiation on a target

Electron dynamics in the field of focused picosecond multimode laser radiation was considered by numerical methods. It was found that the electron energy during stochastic perturbation of its trajectory can exceed the energy of oscillatory motion in a plane wave by several orders of magnitude. The electron distribution function was studied based on 2D numerical simulation. An analytical expression for the distribution function of relativistic electrons as ideal gas was derived. The distribution function in the radiation flux density range of 10¹⁴–10¹⁷ W/cm² was compared with an analytical expression of the equilibrium distribution; a temperature characteristic for electrons stochastically heated by the laser field was introduced. The dependence of the electron temperature on the radiation flux density was determined.     

Bestimmung von Temperatur und Dichte eines Gleitfunkens aus der Bremsstrahlung im Infrarot

The absolute intensity of a vacuum sliding spark (length 2–10 cm, half cycle 0,8 μsec) has been measured in the spectral region between 0,4 and 3μ. From the long wavelength radiation emitted from an optically thick layer, one gets the temperature, from the short wavelength radiation emitted from an optically thin layer, one obtains the density. Using polyethylene as an insulator we reached a temperature of 4·10⁵ °K at electron densities of 8·10¹⁸ cm^?3 and current densities of 1.2·10⁶ A/cm². The temporal development of temperature and density has been determined. The maximum intensity at λ=0.43 μ was found to be 5·10⁴ (7·10¹⁰ W/cm³ ster) as large as that of the positive crater of a properly driven carbon arc. At λ=3 μ this same parameter turned out to be 300 times as large (5·10⁷ W/cm³ ster).     

An Innovative Simple Method for Study of the Characteristics of the Trigatron Plasma Switch

A simple Semi‐Analytical method used to fit the experimentally recorded current of the closed switch discharge circuit into the free running under damped LC oscillator model and the arc plasma conductivity, electron density of the plasma and efficiency of the spark gap switch energy transfer have been driven from the model by some simple calculations. The charging voltage, switch pressure and the spark gap has been changed between 6 to 15 kV, 1 to 1.5 bar and 1.4 or 2.8 mm, respectively. The obtained values for plasma conductivity and electron density of plasma are (5‐25)(Ω mm)^–1, (0.5–3.5)·10²⁴m^–3, respectively. The efficiency of the switch is plotted Vs. Pd and E/P which in both cases the peak value has been about 80 present.     

Quantitative studies of copper plasma using laser induced breakdown spectroscopy

In the present work, we present the spatial evolution of the copper plasma produced by the fundamental harmonic (1064 nm) and second harmonic (532 nm) of a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. The experimentally observed line profiles of neutral copper 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. Besides we have studied the variation of electron temperature and electron number density as a function of laser energy at atmospheric pressure. The Cu I lines at 333.78, 406.26, 465.11 and 515.32 nm are used for the determination of electron temperature. The relative uncertainty in the determination of electron temperature is ≈10%. The electron temperature calculated for the fundamental harmonic (1064 nm) of Nd:YAG laser is 10500–15600 K, and that for the second harmonic (532 nm) of Nd:YAG laser is 11500–14700 K at a Q Switch delay of 40 μs. The electron temperature has also been calculated as a function of laser energy from the target surface for both modes of the laser. We have also studied the spatial behavior of the electron number density in the plume. The electron number densities close to the target surface (0.05 mm), in the case of fundamental harmonic (1064 nm) of Nd:YAG laser having pulse energy 135 mJ and second harmonic (532 nm) of Nd:YAG laser with pulse energy 80 mJ are 2.50×10¹⁶ and 2.60×10¹⁶ cm⁻³, respectively.     

Theoretical and experimental investigations of a passively mode-locked Nd: Glass laser

The presented theoretical model for a mode-locked Nd-glass laser simultaneously takes into account dynamics of the mode-locking dye, amplification saturation and radiation background. A systematic variation of laser parameters gives insight into the pulse formation process and allows to improve the laser design. The calculations show that it should be possible to decrease considerably the duration of light pulses of a mode-locked Nd-glass laser. Using a new mode-locking dye with a switching time of τ=2.7×10⁻¹² s we obtained stable laser operation and a pulse duration of 1.7×10⁻¹²s.     

Nuclear fragmentation with 100 MeV α-particles

On the basis of low pressure spark discharges a new type of a particle accelerator as been developed. It produces pulsed ion as well as electron beams of high intensities in a gas atmosphere at pressures of the order of 1 mbar. The method was used to produce in hydrogene at particle energies of about 70 keV an electron beam with a current density of more than 10⁶ A/cm² at 140 A total current. It is shown that magnetic confinement by the pinch effect takes place in the discharge. Discharge times smaller than 5 ns and spark frequencies up to 2 MHz can be obtained.     

Langmuir Probe Measurement of the Electron Temperature in the Plasma Plume Formed by Pulsed Laser Deposition of Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O

The electron temperature of the plasma formed during pulsed laser deposition of Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O target was measured using Langmuir probe. The main parameters of the experiment were as follows: The distance of the probe from the target was in the range of (4-6) mm, the basic working pressure was 2×10^–3 Pa and the planar pulse energy density of laser beam was approximately 8 J/cm². The obtained values of electron temperature were in the range of (1.0-2.5) eV. Presented results are discussed from the point of view of different theories of plasma splitting.     

Laser wiggler beat wave in a plasma

It is shown that by combining a laser wave and an electron beam propagating through a plasma inside a wiggler: (i) Electrons can be accelerated to high energies. For usual laser frequencies and wiggler wavelengths, plasma densities are in the range 10¹⁵–10¹⁶ cm^-3. The plasma density fluctuation in the longitudinal wave suffices to obtain electron energies of several hundred MeV over short distances. (ii) High frequency radiation can be amplified.     

Electron temperature and concentration in the laser erosion plasma of lead and gallium

Time-averaged values of the electron temperature and concentration at distances of 1 and 7 mm from a target have been determined from the emission characteristics of the laser erosion plasma of lead and gallium. The plasma was produced in a vacuum (3–12 Pa) as the corresponding target was exposed to radiation of a neodymium laser (τ = 20 ns, λ = 1.06 μm, f = 12 Hz, W = 10⁸–10⁹ W/cm²). The energy distribution of excited atomic states has been analyzed. The time dependence of the electron temperature at a distance of 7 mm from the target is presented.     

超强激光-等离子体相互作用过程中的辐射阻尼效应

基于包含辐射阻尼效应的电子运动方程,通过坐标变换,分析了圆极化和线极化超强激光在等离子体中传播时,辐射阻尼效应对电子运动的影响。结果表明:两种极化情况下,辐射阻尼效应都随等离子体密度的增大而增强;在圆极化激光中,激光强度在1023~1026 W/cm2范围(对应于不同的等离子体密度)时,辐射阻尼效应将对电子的运动产生显著的反作用,而对于线极化激光,只有当激光强度远大于极限光强时,辐射阻尼效应才对电子的运动有明显的作用。     

Laser opto-acoustic study of phase transitions in metals confined by transparent dielectric

First-order phase transitions in metal induced by nanosecond laser pulse are studied here. The metal surface is irradiated through a layer of transparent dielectric??an optical glass. Such confinement considerably increases the efficiency of pressure generation at the metal surface. This technique allows to obtain near-critical states of metals??with temperatures ??10⁴ K and pressures ??10⁴ atm with table-top equipment. At the same time the glass prevents the ablation plume formation??so the surface temperature can be measured using thermal radiation data. An experimental setup for simultaneous measurements of pressure, temperature and reflectivity was assembled based on the elaborated method of experimental research. The processes of melting of lead and boiling of mercury were studied. The onset of the phase transition process led to a considerable tightening of the pressure pulse. A substantial drop of surface reflectivity due to increase of temperature and decrease of density was observed.     

1064 nm Nd:YAG激光诱导铁等离子体特征参数的研究

利用1064 nm Nd:YAG激光器研究了激光诱导铁条等离子体的特征参数。为了减小测量误差和谱线自发辐射跃迁几率不确定性带来的计算误差,采用改进的迭代Boltzmann方法精确求解铁等离子体的电子温度为8058 K。Lorentz函数拟合Fe I 376.553 nm得到等离子体的电子数密度为8.71017 cm-3。分析表明等离子体的加热机制主要是逆轫致过程,其吸收系数是0.14 cm-1。实验数据证实激光诱导铁等离子体处于局部热力学平衡状态和光学薄状态。     

Hot microplasma in the channel of a solid target induced by a sequence of femtosecond laser pulses

The dynamics of the hard X-ray yield is studied as a function of the laser-shot number, and the maximum temperature of the hot electron plasma component in the channel formed by a sequence of tightly focused near-IR femtosecond laser pulses (τ = 110 fs, λ = 1.24 μm, and I = 10¹⁵–10¹⁶ W/cm²) in air at various pressures (P = 0.01–760.00 Torr) is analyzed. The dependence of the depth of the channel in which the hard X rays are generated with the highest efficiency on the air pressure and the laser focusing is obtained. The electron concentration in air plasma in the laser beam waist is estimated using the spectral shift of the second harmonic radiation that is back reflected from the target channel.     

Dynamics of plasma corona of laser-irradiated spherical targets

The paper is devoted to an investigation of the formation and spreading of an inhomogeneous dense plasma heated by high-power laser radiation. The present status of the experimental and theoretical research in this field is analyzed. The “Kal'-mar” facility is used to study the dynamics of the plasma corona (electron density n_e ~ 10¹⁸–10²⁰ cm^-3), the law of motion of the critical (n_e ~ 10²¹ cm^-3) region of the plasma is established, and the dependence of the rate of compression of the shell targets on the initial parameters is determined. The electron temperature of the corona is measured with high temporal resolution in the course of the compression. A jetlike expansion of the “fast” ions is observed and investigated.     

Influence of parameters of gas medium on the fluorescence of iodine molecules 129I2, 127I129I and 127I2 excited by semiconductor laser radiation

Calculated and experimental results of studies of the influence of vapor temperature of iodine molecules (¹²⁹I₂, ¹²⁷I¹²⁹I, and ¹²⁷I₂) and pressure of the analyzed medium on the intensity of fluorescence of the molecules excited by semiconductor laser radiation in the red spectrum region are reported. It is demonstrated that depending on the wavelength of laser radiation there exist different ranges of temperatures and pressure values at which the fluorescence intensities of each of the indicated iodine molecules reach their maximum values.     

On the feasibility of the coulomb explosion of a metal

The mechanism of the Coulomb explosion of a metal in an external pulsed electric field is discussed. In the case of a low-frequency field, when its frequency is lower than the frequency of electron collisions, it is impossible to reach the conditions of the Coulomb explosion of a metal if the field pulse duration is shorter than the time of electron energy relaxation upon elastic collisions, and the electron temperature is well above the Fermi energy and the work function. In the case of a high-frequency field, e.g., in a powerful pulse of ultraviolet laser radiation, the Coulomb explosion can occur if the field strength is well above the intraatomic field strength (i.e., when the laser power density is ≥10¹⁹ W/cm²).     

Analysis of Ar line spectra from indirectly-driven implosion experiments on SGII facility

This paper reports on the indirectly-driven implosion experiments on SGII laser facility in which Ar emission spectrum from Ar-doped D-filled plastic capsule is recorded with the crystal spectrometer. Spectral features of Ar Heβ line and its associated satellites are analysed to extract the electron temperature and density of the implosion core. Non local thermal equilibrium (NLTE) collisional-radiative atomic kinetics and Strark broadening line shape are included in the present calculation. By comparing the calculated spectrum with the measured one, the core electron temperature and density are inferred to be 700 eV and 2.5×10²³ cm^-3 respectively. With these inferred values of electron temperature and density, neutron yield can be estimated to agree with the measured value in magnitude despite of the very simple model used for the estimation.     

Temperature and electron density of soil plasma generated by LA-FPDPS

Electron temperature and electron number density are important parameters in the characterization of plasma. In this paper the electron temperature and electron number density of soil plasma generated by laser ablation combined with nanosecond discharge spark at different discharge voltages have been studied. Saha-Boltzmann plot and Stark broadening are used to determine the temperature and electron number density. It is proved that local thermal equilibrium is fulfilled in the nanosecond spark enhanced plasma. The enhanced optical emission, signal to noise ratio and the stability in term of the relative standard deviation of signal intensity at different spark voltages were investigated in detail. A relative stable discharge process was observed with use of a 10 kV discharge voltage under the carried experimental configuration.     

Wide-aperture electric-discharge XeCl lasers

Experimental investigations have been performed for aXeCl laser with the active region aperture equal to 6.5×7 and 15×15 cm. To pump the laser, two types of generator were used: a generator connected in a double-loop circuit with a peaking capacitor and a multichannel spark gap switch and a magnetic thyratron generator. The working mixtureNe−Xe−HCl was preionized with soft x rays and a low-current electron beam, providing an initial electron density ranging from 10⁶ to 5·10¹³ cm⁻³. Conditions in which a homogeneous space discharge is initiated have been studied. It has been investigated how the degree of ionization of the gas and the aperture of the active region affect the discharge and lasing characteristics of the laser. The laser efficiency reaches 4% with an energy of ≈ 6 J extracted from one liter of the active region. Institute of High-Current Electronics, Siberian Division of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 5, pp. 54–59, April, 2000.