Laser-induced plasma formation in water with up to 400 mJ double-pulse LIBS

Double-pulse LIBS is a promising technique for deep-sea applications.LIBS measurements in shallow water with up to 400 mJ each pulse were done to select laser parameters which promote optimized spectral line emission from plasma even at elevated pressures,where line broadening until loss of most of the spectral information can occur.Optical emission spectroscopy,using a Czerny-Turner spectrometer,has been applied to investigate the dependence of the emitted radiation on laser parameters and hydrostatic pressure.It has been found,that higher laser pulse energies,especially with short pulse delay as required in high water pressure,can also have an adverse effect on the measured spectrum.

Diagnostics of laser-induced plasma on carbon-based polymer material using atomic and molecular emission spectra

Time-integrated optical emission analysis of laser-induced plasma on Teflon is presented.Plasma was induced under atmospheric pressure air using transversely excited atmospheric CO_(2) laser pulses.Teflon is a C-based polymer that is,among other things,interesting as a substrate for laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy analysis of liquid samples.This study aimed to determine the optimal experimental conditions for obtaining neutral and ionized C spectral lines and C2 and CN molecular band emission suitable for spectrochemical purposes.Evaluation of plasma parameters was done using several spectroscopic techniques.Stark profiles of appropriate C ionic lines were used to determine electron number density.The ratio of the integral intensity of ionic-to-atomic C spectral lines was used to determine the ionization temperature.A spectral emission of C2 Swan and CN violet bands system was used to determine the temperature of the colder,peripheral parts of plasma.We critically analyzed the use of molecular emission bands as a tool for plasma diagnostics and suggested methods for possible improvements.

Enhanced laser-induced plasma channels in air

Plasma is a significant medium in high-energy density physics since it can hardly be damaged. For some applications such as plasma based backward Raman amplification （BRA）, uniform high-density and large-scale plasma channels are required. In the previous experiment, the plasma transverse diameter and density are 50-200 μm and 1-2 x 10^19 cm-3, here we enhance them to 0.8 mm and 8 x 10^19 cm-3, respectively. Moreover, the gradient plasma is investigated in our experiment. A proper plasma gradient can be obtained with suitable pulse energy and delay. The experimental results are useful for plasma physics and nonlinear optics.

Velocity Diagnosis of Critical Surface at Microwave Band in Laser-Induced Plasma

The velocity of critical surface at microwave band in laser-induced plasma was measured and the results are presented. The results indicate that the velocity of critical surface with low electron density is larger than that with the high one; and the velocity of critical surface increases with the laser power density.

Numerical Analysis of Interaction Between Single-Pulse Laser-Induced Plasma and Bow Shock in a Supersonic Flow

The interaction of laser-induced plasma and bow shock over a blunt body is inves- tigated numerically in an M∞ =6.5 supersonic flow. A ray-tracing method is used for simulating the process of laser focusing. The gas located at the focused zone is ionized and broken down and transformed into plasma. In a supersonic flow the plasma moves downstream and begins to interact with the bow shock when it approaches the surface of the blunt body. The parameters of flowfield and blunt body surface are changed due to the interaction. By analyzing phenomena occurring in the complex unsteady flowfield during the interaction in detail, we can better under- stand the change of pressure on the blunt body surface and the mechanism of drag reduction by laser energy deposition. The results show that the bow shock is changed into an oblique shock due to the interaction of the laser-induced low-density zone with the bow shock, so the wave drag of the blunt body is reduced.

Conditions for laser-induced plasma to effectively remove nano-particles on silicon surfaces

Particles can be removed from a silicon surface by means of irradiation and a laser plasma shock wave.The particles and silicon are heated by the irradiation and they will expand differently due to their different expansion coefficients,making the particles easier to be removed.Laser plasma can ionize and even vaporize particles more significantly than an incident laser and,therefore,it can remove the particles more efficiently.The laser plasma shock wave plays a dominant role in removing particles,which is attributed to its strong burst force.The pressure of the laser plasma shock wave is determined by the laser pulse energy and the gap between the focus of laser and substrate surface.In order to obtain the working conditions for particle removal,the removal mechanism,as well as the temporal and spatial characteristics of velocity,propagation distance and pressure of shock wave have been researched.On the basis of our results,the conditions for nano-particle removal are achieved.

Terahertz generation from laser-induced plasma

Interest of the research in terahertz(THz)wave has been strongly motivated by its wide applications in the fields of physics,chemistry,biology,and engineering.Developing efficient and reliable THz source is of uttermost priority in these researches.Numerous attempts have been made in fulfilling the THz generation.Greatly benefited from the progress of the ultrafast pulses,the laser-induced-plasma is one of the auspicious tools to provide desirable THz waves,owing to its superiorities in high power threshold,intense THz signal,and ultrawide THz spectrum.This paper reviews the physics and progress of the THz generation from the laser-induced plasmas,which are produced by gas,liquid,and solid.The characteristics of the emitted THz waves are also included.There are many complicated physical processes involved in the interactions of laser-plasma,making various laser-plasma scenarios in the THz generations.In view of this,we will only focus on the THz generation classified by physical mechanisms.Finally,we discuss a perspective on the future of THz generation from the laser-induced plasma,as well as its involved challenges.

Numerical simulation of laser-induced plasma in background gas considering multiple interaction processes

Laser-induced plasma is often produced in the presence of background gas,which causes some new physical processes.In this work,a two-dimensional axisymmetric radiation fluid dynamics model is used to numerically simulate the expansion process of plasma under different pressures and gases,in which the multiple interaction processes of diffusion,viscosity and heat conduction between the laser ablated target vapor and the background gas are further considered,and the spatio-temporal evolutions of plasma parameters(species number density,expansion velocity,size and electron temperature)as well as the emission spectra are obtained.The consistency between the actual and simulated spectra of aluminum plasma in 1 atm argon verifies the correctness of the model and the numerical simulation,thus providing a refinement analysis method for the basic research of plasma expansion in gases and the application of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy.

Effect of lens-to-sample distance on spatial uniformity and emission spectrum of flat-top laser-induced plasma

The optimal spectral excitation and acquisition scheme is explored by studying the effect of the lensto-sample distance(LTSD)on the spatial homogeneity and emission spectra of flat-top laser converging spot induced plasma.The energy distribution characteristics before and after the convergence of the laser beam with quasi flat-top intensity profile used in this study are theoretically simulated and experimentally measured.For an aspheric converging mirror with a focal length of100 mm,the LTSD(106 mm≥LTSD≥96 mm)was changed by raising the stainless-steel sample height.The plasma images acquired by ICCD show that there is air breakdown when the sample is below the focal point,and a ring-like plasma is produced when the sample is above the focal point.When the sample is located near the focal point,the plasma shape resembles a hemisphere.Since the spectral acquisition region is confined to the plasma core and the image contains all the optical information of the plasma,it has a lower relative standard deviation(RSD)than the spectral lines.When the sample surface is slightly higher than the focal plane of the lens,the converging spot has a quasi flat-top distribution,the spatial distribution of the plasma is more uniform,and the spectral signal is more stable.Simultaneously,there is little difference between the RSD of the plasma image and the laser energy.In order to further improve the stability of the spectral signal,it is necessary to expand the spectral acquisition area.

Radio-frequency compressed electron pulse-width characterization by cross-correlation between electron bunches and laser-induced plasma

A method is proposed to determine the temporal width of high-brightness radio-frequency compressed electron pulses based on cross-correlation technique involving electron bunches and laser-induced plasma. The temporal evolution of 2-dimensional transverse profile of ultrafast electron bunches repelled by the formed transient electric field of laser-induced plasma on a silver needle is investigated, and the pulse-width can be obtained by analyzing these time-dependent images.This approach can characterize radio-frequency compressed ultrafast electron bunches with picosecond or sub-picosecond timescale and up to 105 electron numbers.

Combination of spark discharge and nanoparticle-enhanced laser-induced plasma spectroscopy

A combination of spark discharge and nanoparticle-enhanced laser-induced plasma spectroscopy is investigated.Depositing Au nanoparticles at the surface of a brass target can enhance the coupling of the target and the laser.More atoms in the brass sample are excited.As a secondary excitation source,spark discharge reheats the generated plasma,which further amplifies the enhancement results of nanoparticles.The spectral intensity with the spark discharge increases more obviously with nanoparticle concentration increasing than without the spark discharge.Also,plasma temperature and electron density are calculated by the Boltzmann plot and Stark broadening.The changes in the plasma temperature and electron density are consistent with the spectral emission changes.

Characterization of Femtosecond Laser-Induced Plasma under Low Pressure in Argon

An experiment of femtosecond laser-induced breakdown in argon with a pressure below normal atmospheric pressure is performed. The breakdown spectrum is mainly due to the electronic relaxation of excited Ar atoms and Ar ions. The lifetimes and characteristics of the Ar plasma are extensively studied by the time-integrated and time-resolved optical emission spectroscopy technique, which is also discussed. Under the assumption of local thermodynamic equilibrium （LTE）, the plasma temperature is calculated. Moreover, the electron density is accessed from the Stark broadening of the ionized argon lines. Finally, the validity of applications of LTE is also discussed.

Laser-induced plasma electron number density:Stark broadening method versus the Saha-Boltzmann equation

We report spectroscopic studies on plasma electron number density of laser-induced plasma produced by ns-Nd：YAG laser light pulses on an aluminum sample in air at atmospheric pressure. The effect of different laser energy and the effect of different laser wavelengths were compared. The experimentally observed line profiles of neutral aluminum have been used to extract the excitation temperature using the Boltzmann plot method, whereas the electron number density has been determined from the Stark broadened as well as using the Saha-Boltzmann equation （SBE）. Each approach was also carried out by using the AI emission line and Mg emission lines. It was observed that the,SBE method generated a little higher electron number density value than the Stark broadening, method, but within the experimental uncertainty range. Comparisons of Ne determined by the two methods show the presence of a linear relation which is independent of laser energy or laser wavelength. These results show the applicability of the SBE method for Are determination, especially when the system does not have any pure emission lines whose electron impact factor is known, Also use of Mg lines gives superior results than Al lines.

Temporal and Spatial Evolution of Laser-Induced Plasma from a Slag Sample

Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy （LIBS） has been demonstrated to be an effective method for slag analysis. In order to better clarify the nature of the plasma generated from a slag sample, an Nd：YAG pulse laser at 1064 nm wavelength was used to ablate the slag sample in air. The temporal and spatial evolutions of plasma parameters, including emission intensity, electronic density and plasma temperature, have been studied. It is shown that the electron density and plasma temperature drop off rapidly with the delay time as a result of plasma expansion and cooling. It has been found that the electron density of the whole plasma is close to that of the center regions in the plasma. The results of the spatial distributions on the two-dimensional plane have shown that there is a big region with lower electron density values caused by the recombination process in the center of the plasma. The maximum of the plasma temperature takes place at the regions close to the target, and the border of the plasma front-head has higher plasma temperatures than that of the center part.

Laser-induced plasma generated by a 532nm pulsed laser in bulk water:unexpected line-intensity variation with water temperature and the possible underlying physics

The effect of the matrix temperature on laser-induced plasma generated in bulk water by using a532 nm pulsed laser beam has been studied.Ca Ⅰ and Ⅱ emission line intensities were recorded for an aqueous solution of CaCl2 in the temperature range of 7℃-70℃.The emission line intensities did not follow the matrix temperature in our experiments.Maximum intensities were observed at ~18℃ for both lines.Herein,a possible mechanism responsible for the observed variation in intensity is suggested,in which laser-produced bubbles play important roles.Bubble formation is essential to ignite plasma in the liquid and more feasible at the higher liquid temperature.However,the abundant bubbles at the higher temperature can scatter the incident laser beam more effectively to decrease the energy delivered for the laser-induced plasma.Thus,these two roles have effects on the optical emission intensities in opposite ways.The validity of the suggested mechanism is discussed based on the plasma temperature,temperature dependence of the refractive index of water,plasma electron density,scattered light intensity,and plasma ignition threshold energy.Our result indicates that the temperature of the liquid is also an important parameter to be considered in the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy analysis of bulk liquid samples and its application in deep-sea exploration.

TEMPORAL EVLOUTION OF THE STARK-BROADENING OF H_(β) LINE IN LASER-INDUCED PLASMA IN METHANE

The temporal evolution of stark-broadening of H_(β) line in laser-induced plasma in methane is investigated and the electronic density is determined from the Stark-broadened linewidth of the Balmer beta line.The maximum half-width of the line is more than 100Å and the deduced electronic density is about 4x10^(17)cm^(-3).

Spatio-temporal evaluation of Zr plasma parameters in a single-beam-splitting double-pulse laser-induced plasma

The plasma shielding effect is one of the major weaknesses of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy(LIBS)as it causes non-linearity in signal strength.Although LIBS is typically carried out in constant laser energy,this non-linearity causes a reduction in sensitivity.In this work,we systematically examine laser-induced plasma,formed by two different excitation source modes,i.e.single pulse(SP)-excitation and single-beam-splitting double-pulse(SBS-DP)-excitation over Zr-2.5%Nb alloy.The two most important plasma parameters influencing the emission line intensity,plasma temperature(Te)and electron density(Ne)were studied and compared for both modes of laser excitation.Comparison of the results conclusively demonstrates that due to the splitting of the laser energy in the SBS-DP mode,the plasma shielding effect is significantly reduced.The reduced plasma shielding translates to an increased laser–sample coupling under SBS-DP mode.Temporal imaging of the total intensity of the laser-induced plasma in both excitation modes was also studied.The study shows how the plasma shielding effect can be reduced to improve the analytical quality of the LIBS methodology.

Spectral characteristic of laser-induced plasma in soil

The spectral characteristic of laser-induced plasma in soil was studied in this work,laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy was used to analyze the spectral characteristic of plasma under the condition of different time delays and irradianccs.Moreover,the time evolution characteristics of plasma temperature and electron density were discussed.Within the time delay range of 0-5μs,the spectral intensity of the characteristic lines of Si I:288.158 nm,Ti I:336.126 nm.Al I:394.400 nm and Fe I:438.354 nm of the four main elements in two kinds of national standard soil decayed exponentially with time.The average lifetime of the spectral lines was nearly 1.56μs.Under the condition of different time delays,the spectral intensity of Pb I:405.78 nm in soil increased linearly with laser energy.However,the slope between the spectral intensity and laser energy decreased exponentially with the increase in time delay,from 4.91 to 0.99 during 0-5μs.The plasma temperature was calculated by the Boltzmann plot method and the electron density was obtained by inversion of the full width at half maximum of the spectrum.The plasma temperature decreased from 8900 K to 7800 K and the electron density decreased from 1.5 x 1Ol7cm-3 to 7.8 x lO16cm-3 in the range of 0-5μs.

Two-dimensional investigation of characteristic parameters and their gradients for the self-generated electric and magnetic fields of laser-induced zirconium plasma

Two-dimensional diagnosis of laser-induced zirconium(Zr)plasma has been experimentally performed using the time-of-flight method by employing Faraday cups in addition to electric and magnetic probes.The characteristic parameters of laser-induced Zr plasma have been evaluated as a function of different laser irradiances ranging from 4.5 to 11.7 GW cm-2 at different axial positions of 1–4 cm with a fixed radial distance of 2 cm.A well-supporting correlation between the plume parameters and the laser-plasma-produced spontaneous electric and magnetic(E and B)fields was established.The measurements of the characteristic parameters and spontaneously induced fields were observed to have an increasing trend with the increasing laser irradiance.However,when increasing the spatial distance in both the axial and radial directions,the plasma parameters(electron/ion number density,temperature and kinetic energy)did not show either continuously increasing or decreasing trends due to various kinetic and dynamic processes during the spatial evolution of the plume.However,the E and B fields were observed to be always diffusing away from the target.The radial component of electron number densities remained higher than the axial number density component,whereas the axial ion number density at all laser irradiances and axial distances remained higher than the radial ion number density.The higher axial self-generated electric field(SGEF)values than radial SGEF values are correlated with the effective charge-separation mechanism of electrons and ions.The generation of a self-generated magnetic field is observed dominantly in the radial direction at increasing laser irradiance as compared to the axial one due to the deflection of fast-moving electrons and the persistence of two-electron temperature on the radial axis.

Diffusion dynamics and characterization of attogram masses in optically trapped single nanoparticles using laser-induced plasma imaging

In the present work,a wavelength-selected plasma imaging analysis system is presented and used to track photons emitted from single-trapped nanoparticles in air at atmospheric pressure.The isolated nanoentities were atomized and excited into plasma state using single nanosecond laser pulses.The use of appropriate wavelength filters alongside time-optimized acquisition settings enabled the detection of molecular and atomic emissions in the plasma.The photon detection efficiency of the imaging line resulted in a signal>400 times larger than the simultaneously-acquired dispersive spectroscopy data.The increase in sensitivity outlined the evolution of diverse physicochemical processes at the single particle scale which included heat and momentum transfer from the plasma into the particle as wells as chemical reactions.The imaging detection of excited fragments evidenced different diffusion kinetics and time frames for atoms and molecules and their influence upon both the spectroscopic emission readout and fabrication processes using the plasma as a reactor.Moreover,the origin of molecular species,whether naturally-occurring or derived from a chemical reaction in the plasma,could also be studied on the basis of compositional gradients found on the images.Limits of detection for the inspected species ranged from tens to hundreds attograms,thus leading to an exceptional sensing principle for single nanoentities that may impact several areas of science and technology.