What can we learn about laser-induced plasmas from Thomson scattering experiments

This article describes laser Thomson scattering as applied to investigate laser-induced plasmas originating from gas breakdown or ablation of solid samples. Thomson scattering provides a reliable and direct mean of determining plasma electron density and electron temperature with high spatial and temporal resolution. Moreover, unlike e.g. optical emission spectroscopy, no assumptions about axial symmetry, thermodynamic conditions in the plasma or its chemical composition are needed to quantify these fundamental plasma parameters. Because Thomson scattering is inherently accompanied by Rayleigh light scattering, information about concentration of heavy particles and their temperature can be simultaneously derived from the experimental data. The heavy particle temperature and the electron one are the primary indicators of the plasma thermodynamic equilibrium. The goals of this article are to describe the theory of Thomson scattering relevant for the studies of low-temperature laser-induced plasmas, discuss the instrumental details of Thomson scattering experiments, and review the results of studies in which this technique has been used to characterize laser-induced plasmas

Laser spectroscopy of thermal plasma

Thermal plasma, due to its applications, is a research field of great importance, but reliable diagnostics of such plasma remains a challenging task. Spatially resolved methods, which provide local values of plasma parameters, are crucial for understanding the underlying physics. This can be achieved using pump–probe techniques. Two methods applicable and useful for thermal plasma diagnostics—four-wave mixing and scattering of laser beams—are discussed in this paper. Experimental examples of their application, namely four-wave mixing in argon arc plasma and scattering of laser light by laser-induced plasma, are presented

Simultaneous measurement of electron and heavy particle temperatures in He laser-induced plasma by Thomson and Rayleigh scattering

Thomson and Rayleigh scattering methods were applied to quantify the electron and heavy particle temperatures, as well as electron number density, in a laser spark in helium at atmospheric pressure. Plasma was created using 4.5 ns, 25 mJ pulses from Nd:YAG laser at 532 nm. Measurements, performed for the time interval between 20 ns and 800 ns after breakdown, show electron density and temperature to decrease from $7.8 \times 10^{23}m^{-3}$ to $2.6 \times 10^{22}m^{-3}$ and from 95 900 K to 10 350 K, respectively. At the same time, the heavy particle temperature drops from only 47 000 K down to 4100 K which indicates a two temperature plasma out of local isothermal equilibrium

Laser light scattering for diagnostics of laser induced plasma generated during breakdown in noble gases and ablation of metallic samples

[Poster]International audienc