skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Diagnostics of laser plasma plume dynamics within an electrically biased confining cavity

Journal Article · · Journal of Applied Physics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3638697· OSTI ID:22036724
 [1];  [1]
  1. National Centre for Plasma Science and Technology, Dublin City University, Dublin 9 (Ireland)

The dynamics of laser generated plasma plumes expanding within confining surfaces display a two-phase nature. Early phase enhancement due to hydrodynamic containment results in higher temperatures, densities, and average charges states in comparison to freely expanding plasma plumes. Later phase dynamics result in rapid decay of the plasma plume due to lossy plasma--surface interactions. This paper examines laser plasma generation and expansion within rectangular aluminium cavities biased to high voltages (V{sub bias} = {+-}9 kV). ''Hydro-electro-dynamic'' confinement of the laser plasma plumes and the expansion dynamics were studied via space and time resolved visible emission spectroscopy. The charged confining cavities displayed enhanced emission, higher electron densities (N{sub e}) and longer emission durations compared to those of an unbiased cavity. This behavior is attributed to the influence of the electric fields in the cavity on the charged particle dynamics within the cavity volume. The degree of enhancement depended strongly on the applied polarity.

OSTI ID:
22036724
Journal Information:
Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 110, Issue 6; Other Information: (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English