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Title: Expansion dynamics and chemistry evolution in ultrafast laser filament produced plasmas

Abstract

Laser ablation in conjunction with optical emission spectroscopy is a potential non-contact, stand-off detection method for all elements in the periodic table and certain isotopes such as radionuclides. Currently, significant development efforts are on-going to use ultrafast laser filaments for remote detection of materials. The application of filaments is of particular interest in extending the range of stand-off capability associated with elemental and isotopic detection via laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. Here in this study, we characterize the expansion dynamics and chemical evolution of filament-produced uranium (U) plasmas. Laser filaments are generated in the laboratory by loosely focusing 35 femtosecond (fs), 6 milli Joule (mJ) pulses in air. Time-resolved, two-dimensional plume and spectral imaging was performed to study hydrodynamics and evolution of U atomic and UO molecular emission in filament-produced U plasmas. Our results highlight that filament ablation of U plasmas gives a cylindrical plume morphology with an appearance of plume splitting into slow and fast moving components at later times of its evolution. Emission from the slow-moving component shows no distinct spectral features (i.e. broadband-like) and is contributed in part by nanoparticles generated during ultrafast laser ablation. Additionally, we find U atoms and U oxide molecules (i.e. UO, UxOy) co-exist inmore » the filament produced plasma, which can be attributed to the generation of low-temperature plasma conditions during filament ablation.« less

Authors:
ORCiD logo [1];  [2];  [1];  [3]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
  2. Opticslah, LLC, Albuquerque, NM (United States)
  3. Opticslah, LLC, Albuquerque, NM (United States); Univ. of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (United States). James C. Wyant College of Optical Sciences
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Opticslah, LLC, Albuquerque, NM (United States); Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation
OSTI Identifier:
1735575
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1605950
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC05-76RL01830; SC0017728
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. PCCP
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 22; Journal Issue: 16; Journal ID: ISSN 1463-9076
Publisher:
Royal Society of Chemistry
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY

Citation Formats

Kautz, Elizabeth J., Yeak, Jeremy, Bernacki, Bruce E., Phillips, Mark C., and Harilal, Sivanandan S. Expansion dynamics and chemistry evolution in ultrafast laser filament produced plasmas. United States: N. p., 2020. Web. doi:10.1039/d0cp00078g.
Kautz, Elizabeth J., Yeak, Jeremy, Bernacki, Bruce E., Phillips, Mark C., & Harilal, Sivanandan S. Expansion dynamics and chemistry evolution in ultrafast laser filament produced plasmas. United States. https://doi.org/10.1039/d0cp00078g
Kautz, Elizabeth J., Yeak, Jeremy, Bernacki, Bruce E., Phillips, Mark C., and Harilal, Sivanandan S. Thu . "Expansion dynamics and chemistry evolution in ultrafast laser filament produced plasmas". United States. https://doi.org/10.1039/d0cp00078g. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1735575.
@article{osti_1735575,
title = {Expansion dynamics and chemistry evolution in ultrafast laser filament produced plasmas},
author = {Kautz, Elizabeth J. and Yeak, Jeremy and Bernacki, Bruce E. and Phillips, Mark C. and Harilal, Sivanandan S.},
abstractNote = {Laser ablation in conjunction with optical emission spectroscopy is a potential non-contact, stand-off detection method for all elements in the periodic table and certain isotopes such as radionuclides. Currently, significant development efforts are on-going to use ultrafast laser filaments for remote detection of materials. The application of filaments is of particular interest in extending the range of stand-off capability associated with elemental and isotopic detection via laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. Here in this study, we characterize the expansion dynamics and chemical evolution of filament-produced uranium (U) plasmas. Laser filaments are generated in the laboratory by loosely focusing 35 femtosecond (fs), 6 milli Joule (mJ) pulses in air. Time-resolved, two-dimensional plume and spectral imaging was performed to study hydrodynamics and evolution of U atomic and UO molecular emission in filament-produced U plasmas. Our results highlight that filament ablation of U plasmas gives a cylindrical plume morphology with an appearance of plume splitting into slow and fast moving components at later times of its evolution. Emission from the slow-moving component shows no distinct spectral features (i.e. broadband-like) and is contributed in part by nanoparticles generated during ultrafast laser ablation. Additionally, we find U atoms and U oxide molecules (i.e. UO, UxOy) co-exist in the filament produced plasma, which can be attributed to the generation of low-temperature plasma conditions during filament ablation.},
doi = {10.1039/d0cp00078g},
journal = {Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. PCCP},
number = 16,
volume = 22,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Mar 19 00:00:00 EDT 2020},
month = {Thu Mar 19 00:00:00 EDT 2020}
}

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