Resonant- and avalanche-ionization amplification of laser-induced plasma in air
Abstract
Amplification of laser-induced plasma in air is demonstrated utilizing resonant laser ionization and avalanche ionization. Molecular oxygen in air is ionized by a low-energy laser pulse employing (2 + 1) resonance-enhanced multi-photon ionization (REMPI) to generate seed electrons. Subsequent avalanche ionization of molecular oxygen and nitrogen significantly amplifies the laser-induced plasma. In this plasma-amplification effect, three-body attachments to molecular oxygen dominate the electron-generation and -loss processes, while either nitrogen or argon acts as the third body with low electron affinity. Contour maps of the electron density within the plasma obtained in O₂/N₂ and O₂/Ar gas mixtures are provided to show relative degrees of plasma amplification with respect to gas pressure and to verify that the seed electrons generated by O₂ 2 + 1 REMPI are selectively amplified by avalanche ionization of molecular nitrogen in a relatively low-pressure condition (≤100 Torr). Such plasma amplification occurring in air could be useful in aerospace applications at high altitude.
- Authors:
-
- Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Biomedical Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996 (United States)
- Spectral Energies, LLC, 5100 Springfield St., Suite 301, Dayton, Ohio 45431 (United States)
- Air Force Research Laboratory, Aerospace Systems Directorate, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio 45433 (United States)
- Publication Date:
- OSTI Identifier:
- 22305779
- Resource Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Applied Physics
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 116; Journal Issue: 14; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0021-8979
- Publisher:
- American Institute of Physics (AIP)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY; AIR; ALTITUDE; AMPLIFICATION; ELECTRON DENSITY; IONIZATION; LASER RADIATION; LOSSES; MOLECULAR IONS; MULTI-PHOTON PROCESSES; NITROGEN; OXYGEN; PLASMA; RESONANCE
Citation Formats
Wu, Yue, Zhang, Zhili, Jiang, Naibo, Roy, Sukesh, and Gord, James R. Resonant- and avalanche-ionization amplification of laser-induced plasma in air. United States: N. p., 2014.
Web. doi:10.1063/1.4896789.
Wu, Yue, Zhang, Zhili, Jiang, Naibo, Roy, Sukesh, & Gord, James R. Resonant- and avalanche-ionization amplification of laser-induced plasma in air. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4896789
Wu, Yue, Zhang, Zhili, Jiang, Naibo, Roy, Sukesh, and Gord, James R. 2014.
"Resonant- and avalanche-ionization amplification of laser-induced plasma in air". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4896789.
@article{osti_22305779,
title = {Resonant- and avalanche-ionization amplification of laser-induced plasma in air},
author = {Wu, Yue and Zhang, Zhili and Jiang, Naibo and Roy, Sukesh and Gord, James R.},
abstractNote = {Amplification of laser-induced plasma in air is demonstrated utilizing resonant laser ionization and avalanche ionization. Molecular oxygen in air is ionized by a low-energy laser pulse employing (2 + 1) resonance-enhanced multi-photon ionization (REMPI) to generate seed electrons. Subsequent avalanche ionization of molecular oxygen and nitrogen significantly amplifies the laser-induced plasma. In this plasma-amplification effect, three-body attachments to molecular oxygen dominate the electron-generation and -loss processes, while either nitrogen or argon acts as the third body with low electron affinity. Contour maps of the electron density within the plasma obtained in O₂/N₂ and O₂/Ar gas mixtures are provided to show relative degrees of plasma amplification with respect to gas pressure and to verify that the seed electrons generated by O₂ 2 + 1 REMPI are selectively amplified by avalanche ionization of molecular nitrogen in a relatively low-pressure condition (≤100 Torr). Such plasma amplification occurring in air could be useful in aerospace applications at high altitude.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4896789},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22305779},
journal = {Journal of Applied Physics},
issn = {0021-8979},
number = 14,
volume = 116,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Oct 14 00:00:00 EDT 2014},
month = {Tue Oct 14 00:00:00 EDT 2014}
}