Role of spectroscopic diagnostics in studying nanosecond laser-plasma interaction

We studied the impact of varying the intensity of Nd:YAG nanosecond 1.06 μm laser radiation on the morphology and internal structure of copper plasma plumes were examined. Standard diagnostic techniques used to deduce axial distributions of electron density and temperature revealed effects of a pronounced plasma screening regime. Methods of fast imaging spectroscopy are used to examine the transition from weak- to high-screening plasma, applying irradiance on the order of 109 W cm-2 in helium atmosphere. Behavior of both ionized and neutral species was observed up to 1 μs after the laser pulse. Showing significant differences with an increase of laser irradiance, the change in plasma propagation mechanisms is attributed to internal shockwave dynamics within the plasma plume. Implications of observed behavior to plasma uniformity can affect diagnostics, and are relevant to both modeling and applications

Spectroscopic study of the laser-induced indium plasma

We report experimental research of the laser-produced indium plasma in hydrogen, argon and residual atmospheric ambient conditions. Note on general plasma behavior and morphology is presented. On the basis of intensity ratio of the two intense neutral resonance spectral lines (In I 410.2 nm and 451.1 nm), self-absorption was found to be almost negligible in case of argon environment at a pressure of 6650 Pa. Under these conditions, the first Stark widths (W) and shifts (d) measurements were performed as well. The resulting synthetic Lorentz profiles, based on the hyperfine structure of these two lines and corresponded W values, were calculated in order to reproduce measured Wm in case of particular electron temperature (T) and number density (N). These results should be of interest to the upcoming theoretical calculations concerning neutral indium spectral lines and also for various diagnostic applications