Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-2017

DOI

10.1063/1.4995477

Publication Title

Journal of Applied Physics

Volume

112

Issue

20

Pages

203301 (12 pages)

Abstract

Laser plasma generated by ablation of an Al target in vacuum is characterized by ion time-of-flight combined with optical emission spectroscopy. A Q-switched Nd:YAG laser (wavelength λ = 1064 nm, pulse width τ ∼ 7 ns, and fluence F ≤ 38 J/cm2) is used to ablate the Al target. Ion yield and energy distribution of each charge state are measured. Ions are accelerated according to their charge state by the double-layer potential developed at the plasma-vacuum interface. The ion energy distribution follows a shifted Coulomb-Boltzmann distribution. Optical emission spectroscopy of the Al plasma gives significantly lower plasma temperature than the ion temperature obtained from the ion time-of-flight, due to the difference in the temporal and spatial regions of the plasma plume probed by the two methods. Applying an external electric field in the plasma expansion region in a direction parallel to the plume expansion increases the line emission intensity. However, the plasma temperature and density, as measured by optical emission spectroscopy, remain unchanged.

Original Publication Citation

Shaim, M. H. A., & Elsayed-Ali, H. E. (2017). Characterization of laser-generated aluminum plasma using ion time-of-flight and optical emission spectroscopy. Journal of Applied Physics, 122(20), 203301. doi:10.1063/1.4995477

ORCID

0000-0003-0984-5619 (Shaim)

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