A comparative study of the ionic keV X-ray line emission from plasma produced by the femtosecond,picosecond and nanosecond duration laser pulses

We report here an experimental study of the ionic keV X-ray line emission from magnesium plasma produced by laser pulses of three widely different pulse durations (FWHM) of 45 fs, 25 ps and 3 ns, at a constant laser fluence of ∼1.5 × 10⁴ J cm^− 2. It is observed that the X-ray yield of the resonance lines from the higher ionization states such as H- and He-like ions decreases on decreasing the laser pulse duration, even though the peak laser intensities of 3.5 × 10¹⁷ W cm^− 2 for the 45 fs pulses and 6.2 × 10¹⁴ W cm^− 2 for the 25 ps pulses are much higher than 5 × 10¹² W cm^− 2 for the 3 ns laser pulse. The results were explained in terms of the ionization equilibrium time for different ionization states in the heated plasma. The study can be useful to make optimum choice of the laser pulse duration to produce short pulse intense X-ray line emission from the plasma and to get the knowledge of the degree of ionization in the plasma.     

High-precision masses of 29-33Mg and the N = 20 shell “closure”

High-precision mass measurements have been performed on the exotic magnesium isotopes ^29-33Mg using the MISTRAL radiofrequency spectrometer, especially suited for very short-lived nuclides. This method, combined with the powerful tool of resonant laser ionization at ISOLDE, has provided a significant reduction of uncertainty for the masses of the most exotic Mg isotopes: a relative error of 7×10^-7 was achieved for the weakly produced ³³Mg that has a half-life of only 90ms. Moreover, the mass of ³³Mg is found to change by over 250keV. Verifying and minimizing binding energy uncertainties in this region of the nuclear chart is important for understanding the lack of binding energy that is normally associated with magic numbers.     

Optimization of soft x-ray line emission from laser-produced carbon plasma with laser intensity

Absolute measurement for He-α resonance (1s^{2 1}S₀?1s2p¹ P ₁, at 40.2 Å) line emission from a laser-produced carbon plasma has been studied as a function of laser intensity. The optimum laser intensity is found to be ≈1.3×10¹² W/cm² for the maximum emission of 3.2 × 10¹³ photons sr^?1 pulse^?1. Since this line lies in the water window spectral region, it has potential application in x-ray microscopic imaging of biological sample in wet condition. Theoretical calculation using corona model for the emission of this line is also carried out with appropriate ionization and radiative recombination rate coefficients     

Resonance Ionization Mass Spectrometry (RIMS) with Pulsed and CW-Lasers on Plutonium

The detection of long-lived plutonium isotopes in ultra-trace amounts by resonance ionization mass spectrometry (RIMS) is a well-established routine method. Detection limits of 10⁶ to 10⁷ atoms and precise measurements of the isotopic composition have been achieved. In this work multi-step resonance ionization of plutonium atoms has been performed with tunable lasers having very different output intensities and spectral properties. In order to compare different ways for the resonance ionization of plutonium broadband pulsed dye and titanium:sapphire lasers as well as narrow-band cw-diode and titanium:sapphire lasers have been applied for a number of efficient excitation schemes. It has been shown, that for identical excitation schemes the optical isotope selectivity can be improved by using cw-lasers (bandwidths < 10 MHz) instead of pulsed lasers (bandwidths > 2 GHz). Pulsed and cw-laser systems have been used simultaneously for resonance ionization enabling direct comparisons of pulsed and continuous ionization processes. So far, a three-step, three-color laser excitation scheme has been proven to be most practical in terms of efficiency, selectivity and laser wavelengths. Alternatively a newly discovered three-step, two-color excitation scheme which includes a strong two-photon transition from an excited state into a high-lying autoionizing state yields similar ionization efficiencies. This two-photon transition was characterized with respect to saturation behavior and line width.     

Study of the neutron deficient 182–190Pb isotopes by simultaneous atomic- and nuclear-spectroscopy

Mean-square charge radii and magnetic moments have been measured for the neutron deficient lead isotopes, ^182–190Pb. The measurement was performed at the ISOLDE online mass separator, using the in-source resonance ionization spectroscopy technique. The wavelength of the first excitation step for the resonance ionization laser ion source (RILIS) was scanned over the resonance(s) whilst the α- and γ-ray spectra from the decay of the Pb isotopes were recorded as a function of the wavelength. The isotope shift and, in the case of odd-A isotopes, the hyperfine splitting were deduced. The rms-charge radii of the very neutron deficient Pb isotopes follow the smooth trend of the heavier isotopes. This finding indicates a spherical shape for the lead ground states at the neutron mid-shell (N = 104), where the excitation energy of the oblate 0⁺ state in the even isotopes reaches its minimum.     

飞秒激光激发空气电离的阈值研究

报道在脉宽50fs—22ps，波长800nm脉冲激光作用下的空气电离阈值的研究结果.利用探测等离子体发光信号的方法，实验测量了激发空气电离所需的阈值激光强度.结果表明，当激光脉冲宽度从50fs增加到22ps时，阈值光强I_th从8.7×10¹⁴W/cm²下降到2.7×10¹³W/cm²；I_th经历了由迅速降低逐渐发展为缓慢降低的过程.在50fs—1p     

飞秒激光激发空气电离的阈值研究

报道在脉宽50fs—22ps,波长800nm脉冲激光作用下的空气电离阈值的研究结果.利用探测等离子体发光信号的方法,实验测量了激发空气电离所需的阈值激光强度.结果表明,当激光脉冲宽度从50fs增加到22ps时,阈值光强I_th从8.7×10¹⁴W/cm²下降到2.7×10¹³W/cm²;I_th经历了由迅速降低逐渐发展为缓慢降低的过程.在50fs—1p 关键词： 飞秒激光 阈值 多光子电离 碰撞电离     

Internal ionization in 41Ca

The internal ionization accompanying the first-forbidden unique electron-capture decay of ⁴¹Ca was investigated. The integrated probability of electron ejection with energy greater than 38keV was found to be (0.17 ± 0.02) × 10⁻⁵ per K-capture. In this energy range, the measured spectrum of ejected electrons is fairly close to predictions of the simple theory of Primakoff and Porter, and of the relativistic theory of Mukoyama et al. By a model-dependent extrapolation of this spectrum toward low energies, the total probability of internal ionization in ⁴¹Ca was estimated and compared with relevant experimental results for other isotopes.     

Radiation detected resonance ionization spectroscopy on208Tl and242fAm

An ultra-sensitive laser spectroscopic method has been developed for the hyperfine spectroscopy of short-lived isotopes far off stability produced by heavy ion induced nuclear reactions at very weak intensity (> 1/s). It is based on resonance ionization spectroscopy in a buffer gas cell with radiation detection of the ionization process (RADRIS). As a first on-line application of RADRIS optical spectroscopy at^242fAm fission isomers is in progress at the low target production rate of 10/s. The resonance ionization has been performed in two steps utilizing an excimer dye laser combination with a repetition rate of 300 Hz. The first resonant step proceeds through terms which correspond to wavelengths of 466.28, 468.17 or 426.56 nm; the second non-resonant step is achieved with the 351 nm radiation of the excimer laser itself, running with XeF. The frequency scans of the tuneable dye laser at 466.28 and 468.17 nm exhibit broad resonance ionization signals, the latter with a large isotope shift between^242fAm and²⁴³Am which is in accordance with the large quadrupole moment of the^242fAm fission isomer.Work supported by the Bundesministerium für Forschung und Technologie under contract 06 MZ 188 I.     

New laser setup at the IRIS facility. Magnetic moments and mean squared charge radii of neutron deficient Tl isotopes

A new laser installation for the resonance ionization spectroscopy in a laser ion source and for rare isotope production has been put into operation at the IRIS mass-separator, working on-line with the 1 GeV proton beam of the Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute synchrocyclotron. Isotope shift and hyperfine splitting of 276.9 nm atomic transition in the long chain of Tl isotopes and isomers have been measured. New data on the magnetic moments and changes in mean squared charge radius for ^{183,184,185,185m,186m2,195m,197m}Tl have been obtained.     

Laser-induced Alignment and Coulomb Explosion of CO2

实验研究了CO₂分子在飞秒强激光脉冲作用下的动力学过程,包括分子取向,隧穿电离和库仑爆炸,激光强度从1×10¹³W/cm²变化到6×10¹⁴W/cm². 当激光强度小于分子的电离阈值时,CO₂分子的非绝热转动激发形成一个相干转动波包,波包演化导致分子沿激光电场方向取向. 激光脉冲结束后,分子取向可以周期性地再现,利用另一束激光可以对取向结构进一步进行修饰. 当激光强度大于分子     

Near infrared cw-CRDS coupled to laser photolysis: Spectroscopy and kinetics of the HO2 radical

We present in this work a new experimental set-up for sensitive detection of reactive species: continuous wave cavity ring-down spectroscopy (cw-CRDS) as a detection method in laser photolysis reactor. HO₂ radicals were generated by using a 248 nm photolysis of SOCl₂/CH₃OH/O₂ mixtures and were detected in the first vibrational overtone of the OH stretch around 6625 cm^-1, using a DFB diode laser. In order to perform the spectroscopic and kinetic measurements of the HO₂ radical, two different timing schemes have been used. The absorption line strength of the transition at 6625.784 cm^-1 has been extracted from kinetic measurement to (5.2±1.0)×10^-21 cm² molecule^-1cm^-1. The detection limit for the actual set-up is 2×10¹² molecules cm^-3. PACS 42.62.Fi; 82.33.Tb; 82.20.W     

Laser Based Techniques for Ultra Trace Isotope Production, Spectroscopy and Detection

A variety of research activities in the field of fundamental and applied nuclear physics has evolved in the last years using resonantly tuned radiation from powerful lasers. The technique of resonance ionization spectroscopy has delivered outstanding results and found broad acceptance in the last years as a particularly efficient and highly selective method for rare and exotic radioisotope studies. It is used for production, spectroscopy and detection of these species and provides complete isobaric, high isotopic and even some isomeric selection, which altogether is needed for on-line investigation of short lived species far off stability as well as for ultra trace determination. Good overall efficiency pushes the experimental limits of detection in elemental trace analysis down to below 10⁶ atoms per sample, and additionally isotopic selectivity as high as 3 × 10¹² has been demonstrated. The widespread potential of resonance ionization techniques is discussed, focusing on the experimental arrangements for applications in selective on-line isotope production, spectroscopy of rare radioisotopes and ultra trace determination of radiotoxic isotopes like ²³⁸Pu to ²⁴⁴Pu, ^135,137Cs, ^89,90Sr or ⁴¹Ca in environmental, technical and biomedical samples.     

Thermonuclear fusion in the irradiation of large clusters of deuterium iodide with a field of a superatomic femtosecond laser pulse

A theory of thermonuclear fusion caused by the irradiation of deuterium-iodide clusters with the field of a superatomic femtosecond laser pulse is developed. It is based on considering the process in which the sequential above-barrier multiple internal ionization of atomic ions within a cluster is accompanied by external field ionization. The theory is illustrated by taking the example of a cluster that is formed by 10⁶ molecules of deuterium iodide and which is irradiated with a laser pulse of duration 50 fs and intensity 2×10¹⁸ W/cm² at the peak. This case is dominated by I²⁶⁺ atomic ions. The yield of neutrons from thermonuclear fusion in a deuteron-deuteron collision upon the passage of a laser pulse is calculated. The result is 10⁵ neutrons per laser pulse. The mean kinetic energy of deuterons is estimated at 50 keV. Owing to induced inverse bremsstrahlung in scattering on multiply charged atomic ions, the electron temperature increases up to 28 keV. The role of the Mie resonance in the heating of the electron component is discussed.     

原子非序列双电离的多次返回碰撞电离机理分析

本文采用三维半经典再散射模型研究了He原子在高光强(1.5×10¹⁵ W/cm²)、少周波激光脉冲作用下的非序列双电离问题,重点分析了沿激光电场极化方向的动量关联谱.发现两个电子沿相反方向发射的比例明显比中等光强区(7×10¹⁴ W/cm²)和低光强区(2.5×10¹⁴ W/cm²),以及同等光强的长脉冲情形都偏高, 同时V形结构也更加明显.通过轨道"回溯"分析, 进一步深入 关键词： 强场 非序列双电离 再散射     

μ-子催化核聚变中强脉冲激光对介原子μ3He的电离

数值求解了一维含时的Schr?dinger方程，研究了μ子催化核聚变反应中激光强度和波长对介原子μ³He电离的影响.发现当激光强度为10¹⁹—10²³W/cm²量级时，介原子μ³He有2.7%左右的电离率；当激光强度达到6.0×10²⁴W/cm²时，对介原子μ³He 有显著的电离，并且电离率随着激光的强度、波长而递增，进而会有效提高μ子的催化效率. 关键词： μ子 核聚变 激光 电离     

Charge composition of a cluster plasma upon irradiation of large atomic clusters by the field of a superatomic femtosecond laser pulse

A theory is developed for calculating the charge composition of a cluster plasma produced upon irradiation of large atomic clusters by the field of a superatomic femtosecond laser pulse. The theory is based on the overbarrier process of a successive multiple internal ionization of atomic ions inside a cluster accompanied by the external field ionization. Collision ionization is also taken into account in the calculations. The theory is illustrated by the example of a cluster consisting of 10⁶ xenon atoms irradiated by a 50-fs laser pulse with a peak intensity of 2×10¹⁸ W/cm². In this case, the Xe²⁶⁺ ions dominate. The amounts of atomic xenon ions with multiplicity up to 31 are calculated.     

Regimes of laser plasma expansion at optical breakdown in the normal atmosphere

Propagation regimes of a plasma (fast ionization wave, laser-supported radiation wave, and laser-supported detonation wave) generated by laser radiation in a wide range of intensities (5 × 10⁸?10¹¹ W/cm² ) are described. The regimes were analyzed on the basis of the calculated dependence of the propagation velocity on the laser radiation intensity. The lower bound of the velocity was used for the fast ionization wave. Calculation results agree with experimental data and show that the plasma propagates as a fast ionization wave in the above range of intensities.     

Detection of very rare isotopes by laser collinear resonant ionization of fast atoms

Results are presented of the work on the development of a method for detecting ultra rare isotopes, based on the collinear isotope-selective laser ionization of atoms in a fast bearn. The rare isotope³He was detected at a selectivity of 10⁹ and isotope-selective ionization of krypton atoms was demonstrated. A scheme is suggested for detecting the rare radioactive isotopes⁸⁵Kr and⁸¹Kr. The technique has been exploited for the measurement of hyperfine structures and isotope shifts of unstable Yb isotopes.     

Near shot noise detection of oxygen in the A-band with vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

A dual-beam laser absorption spectrometer with balanced detection for high sensitivity detection of oxygen via the A-band at 760 nm is described. The 2×2 vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser arrays used for this set-up are characterized by their wavelength tuning behavior with temperature and current, amplitude modulation, side-mode suppression ratio and polarization contrast. The spectrometer performance is determined over time periods of up to 10 h using the variation in the differential absorption between two beam paths. With the R11R11 line at STP, 670 μW laser power and 200 mm-long absorption cells, we realized an excellent linearity (R=0.9999) and over a 5-min interval a record sensitivity for VCSEL-based spectrometers of 35 ppmV, corresponding to an optical density (O.D.) of 7×10^-7. For this specific set-up, this sensitivity is only a factor of 2.7 above the shot noise limit, giving us a normalized detection limit of 7.6 ppmV·m·. Over a 10-h interval we achieved a standard deviation of 65 ppmV. Received: 26 July 2000 / Revised version: 1 November 2000 / Published online: 6 December 2000