Dynamics of plasma production and development in gases and transparent solids irradiated by high-intensity, tightly focused picosecond laser pulses

Journal Article · Tue Sep 30 04:00:00 EDT 2003 · Quantum Electronics (Woodbury, N.Y.)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1070/QE2003V033N09ABEH002497· OSTI ID:21470372

Garnov, Sergei V; Konov, Vitalii I; Malyutin, A A; Tsar'kova, O G; Yatskovskii, I S ^[1]; Dausinger, F ^[2]

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1. A.M. Prokhorov General Physics Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation)
2. Institut fur Strahlwerkzeuge (IFSW), Universitat Stuttgart, Stuttgart (Germany)

The results of experimental studies of the dynamics of formation and development of a laser plasma produced in microvolumes of gases (air) and transparent solids (fused silica) by high-intensity [I{approx_equal}(1-2)x10{sup 14} W cm{sup -2}], {approx}22-ps, 539-nm laser pulses tightly focused in a region of diameter 4 {mu}m are presented. The spatiotemporal distributions of the refractive index and the electron density are studied by the interferometric method with a spatial resolution of {approx}1.6 {mu}m and a temporal resolution of {approx}3 ps directly during the action of excitation picosecond laser pulses. An almost complete ionisation of the initial gas was shown to occur even in the initial stage of air plasma formation, within a few picoseconds after plasma production. The irradiation of solid transparent dielectrics (fused silica) by picosecond laser pulses resulted in a reversible production of a plasma with an electron density above 10{sup 20} cm{sup -3}, which did not cause the damage of dielectrics. (papers devoted to the memory of academician a m prokhorov)

• OSTI ID: 21470372
• Journal Information: Quantum Electronics (Woodbury, N.Y.), Journal Name: Quantum Electronics (Woodbury, N.Y.) Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 33; ISSN 1063-7818
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
DIELECTRIC MATERIALS
ELECTRON DENSITY
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EXCITATION
IONIZATION
IRRADIATION
LASER-PRODUCED PLASMA
MATERIALS
MINERALS
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
OXIDE MINERALS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLASMA
PLASMA PRODUCTION
PULSES
REFRACTIVE INDEX
RESOLUTION
SILICA
SOLIDS
SPATIAL RESOLUTION