Spectroscopic studies of plasmas produced from thin foils by fast risetime nanosecond laser pulses

Studies of emission spectra in the region 20–250 ? from plasmas produced from thin foils of various materials 6?Z?26 by fast risetime nanosecond laser pulses are reported. Ionization and recombination occuring in these plasmas as deduced from the identification of the spectral lines and their intensities is discussed. Estimates of the plasma temperature are made. The results are compared with the predictions of a computer code based on a thermal wave model for the initial burn through the foil and subsequent hydrodynamic expansion of the plasma.