Backward scattering of laser plasma interactions from hundreds-of-joules broadband laser on thick target

The use of broadband laser technology is a novel approach for inhibiting processes related to laser plasma interactions(LPIs).In this study,several preliminary experiments into broadband-laser-driven LPIs are carried out using a newly established hundreds-of-joules broadband second-harmonic-generation laser facility.Through direct comparison with LPI results for a traditional narrowband laser,the actual LPI-suppression effect of the broadband laser is shown.The broadband laser had a clear suppressive effect on both back-stimulated Raman scattering and back-stimulated Brillouin scattering at laser intensities below 1×10^(15) W cm^(−2).An abnormal hot-electron phenomenon is also investigated,using targets of different thicknesses.

Investigations on MoS_(2)plasma by infra-red pulsed laser irradiation in high vacuum

MoS_(2)targets were irradiated by infra-red(IR)pulsed laser in a high vacuum to determine hot plasma parameters,atomic,molecular and ion emission,and angular and charge state distributions.In this way,pulsed laser deposition(PLD)of thin films on graphene oxide substrates was also realized.An Nd:YAG laser,operating at the 1064 nm wavelength with a 5 ns pulse duration and up to a 1 J pulse energy,in a single pulse or at a 10 Hz repetition rate,was employed.Ablation yield was measured as a function of the laser fluence.Plasma was characterized using different analysis techniques,such as time-of-flight measurements,quadrupole mass spectrometry and fast CCD visible imaging.The so-produced films were characterized by composition,thickness,roughness,wetting ability,and morphology.When compared to the MoS_(2)targets,they show a slight decrease of S with respect to Mo,due to higher ablation yield,low fusion temperature and high sublimation in vacuum.The pulsed IR laser deposited Mo Sx(with 1<x<2)films are uniform,with a thickness of about 130 nm,a roughness of about 50 nm and a higher wettability than the MoS_(2)targets.Some potential applications of the pulsed IR laser-deposited Mo Sx films are also presented and discussed.

High performance micromachining of sapphire by laser induced plasma assisted ablation(LIPAA)using GHz burst mode femtosecond pulses

GHz burst-mode femtosecond(fs)laser,which emits a series of pulse trains with extremely short intervals of several hundred picoseconds,provides distinct characteristics in materials processing as compared with the conventional irradiation scheme of fs laser(single-pulse mode).In this paper,we take advantage of the moderate pulse interval of 205 ps(4.88 GHz)in the burst pulse for high-quality and high-efficiency micromachining of single crystalline sapphire by laser induced plasma assisted ablation(LIPAA).Specifically,the preceding pulses in the burst generate plasma by ablation of copper placed behind the sapphire substrate,which interacts with the subsequent pulses to induce ablation at the rear surface of sapphire substrates.As a result,not only the ablation quality but also the ablation efficiency and the fabrication resolution are greatly improved compared to the other schemes including single-pulse mode fs laser direct ablation,single-pulse mode fs-LIPAA,and nanosecond-LIPAA.

Effect of matrix thermal properties on laser-induced plasma

The matrix thermal properties have an important impact on laser-induced plasma,as the thermal effect dominates the interaction between ns-pulsed laser and matter,especially in metals.We used a series of pure metals and aluminum alloys to measure plasma temperature and electron density through laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy,in order to investigate the effect of matrix thermal properties on laser-induced plasma.In pure metals,a significant negative linear correlation was observed between the matrix thermal storage coefficient and plasma temperature,while a weak correlation was observed with electron density.The results indicate that metals with low thermal conductivity or specific heat capacity require less laser energy for thermal diffusion or melting and evaporation,resulting in higher ablation rates and higher plasma temperatures.However,considering ionization energy,thermal effects may be a secondary factor affecting electron density.The experiment of aluminum alloy further confirms the influence of thermal conductivity on plasma temperature and its mechanism explanation.

Characterization of bright betatron radiation generated by direct laser acceleration of electrons in plasma of near critical density

Directed x-rays produced in the interaction of sub-picosecond laser pulses of moderate relativistic intensity with plasma of near-critical density are investigated. Synchrotron-like (betatron) radiation occurs in the process of direct laser acceleration (DLA) of electrons in a relativisticlaser channel when the electrons undergo transverse betatron oscillations in self-generated quasi-static electric and magnetic fields. In anexperiment at the PHELIX laser system, high-current directed beams of DLA electrons with a mean energy ten times higher than the ponderomotive potential and maximum energy up to 100 MeV were measured at 10^(19) W/cm^(2)laser intensity. The spectrum of directed x-raysin the range of 5–60 keV was evaluated using two sets of Ross filters placed at 0°and 10°to the laser pulse propagation axis. The differential x-ray absorption method allowed for absolute measurements of the angular-dependent photon fluence. We report 10^(13) photons/sr withenergies >5 keV measured at 0°to the laser axis and a brilliance of 10^(21) photons s^(−1) mm^(−2) mrad−2(0.1%BW)−1. The angular distributionof the emission has an FWHM of 14°–16°. Thanks to the ultra-high photon fluence, point-like radiation source, and ultra-short emissiontime, DLA-based keV backlighters are promising for various applications in high-energy-density research with kilojoule petawatt-class laserfacilities.

Fast efficient photon deceleration in plasmas by using two laser pulses at different frequencies

The generation of ultrashort high-power light sources in the mid-infrared(mid-IR)to terahertz(THz)range is of interest for applications in a number of fields,from fundamental research to biology and medicine.Besides conventional laser technology,photon deceleration in plasma wakes provides an alternative approach to the generation of ultrashort mid-IR or THz pulses.Here,we present a photon deceleration scheme for the efficient generation of ultrashort mid-IR or THz pulses by using an intense driver laser pulse with a relatively short wavelength and a signal laser pulse with a relatively long wavelength.The signal pulse trails the driver pulse with an appropriate time delay such that it sits at the front of the second wake bubble that is driven by the driver pulse.Owing to its relatively long wavelength,the signal pulse will be subjected to a large gradient of the refractive index in the plasma wake bubble.Consequently,the photon deceleration in the plasma wake becomes faster and more efficient for signal pulses with longer wavelengths.This greatly enhances the capacity and efficiency of photon deceleration in the generation of ultrashort high-power light sources in the long-wavelength IR and THz spectral ranges.

Kinetics of dense plasma in the field of short laser pulses:A generalized approach

A generalized kinetic model of atomic level populations in an optically dense plasma excited by laser pulses of arbitrary duration is formulated and studied.This model is based on a nonstationary expression for the probability of excitation of an atomic transition and takes into account the effects of laser pulse penetration into an optically dense medium.A universal formula for the excitation probability as a function of time and propagation length is derived and applied to the case of a Lorentzian spectral profile of an atomic transition excited by a laser pulse with a Gaussian envelope.The features of nonstationary excitation probabilities are presented for different optical depths of the plasma,laser pulse durations,and carrier frequencies.The formulas derived here will be useful for the description of atomic populations excited by laser pulses under realistic conditions of dense plasmas.

Studies on the motion and radiation of interior plasmas in gas-filled hohlraums with different laser entrance hole sizes

An experiment on 100 k J laser facility is performed to study the motive features and radiation properties of plasmas from different areas inside gas-filled cylindrical hohlraums.These hohlraums are designed to possess one open end and one laser entrance hole(LEH)with different diameters,which would or not result in the blocking of the LEH.An x-ray streak camera that is set at 16 degrees with respect to the hohlraum axis is applied to acquire the timeresolved x-ray images from the open end.Based on the images,we can study the evolutions of the wall plasma,corona bubble plasma and LEH plasma simultaneously through an equivalent view field of hohlraum interior.Multi-group flat response x-ray detectors are applied to measure the x-ray fluxes.In order to understand these characteristics,our two-dimensional radiation hydrodynamic code is used to simulate the experimental results.For the accuracy of reproduction,dielectronic recombination and two parameter corrections are applied in our code.Based on the comparison between experiments and simulations,we quantitatively understand the blocking process of LEH and the motion effects of other plasmas.The calibrated code is beneficial to design the gas-filled hohlraum in a nearby parameter space,especially the limit size of LEH.

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.

Spectral characteristics of laser-plasma instabilities with a broadband laser

Recent experimental progresses regarding broadband laser-plasma instabilities(LPIs)show that a 0.6%laser bandwidth can reduce backscatters of the stimulated Brillouin scattering(SBS)and the stimulated Raman scattering(SRS)at normal incidence[Phys.Rev.Lett.132035102(2024)].In this paper,we present a further discussion of the spectral distributions of the scatters developed by broadband LPIs,in addition to a brief validation of the effectiveness of bandwidth on LPIs mitigation at oblique incidence.SBS backscatter has a small redshift in the broadband case contrary to the blueshift with narrowband laser,which may be explained by the self-cross beam energy transfer between the various frequency components within the bandwidth.SRS backscatter spectrum presents a peak at a longer wavelength in the broadband case compared to the short one in the narrowband case,which is possibly attributed to the mitigation effect of bandwidth on filaments at underdense plasmas.The three-halves harmonic emission(3ω/2)has a one-peak spectral distribution under the broadband condition,which is different from the two-peak distribution under the narrowband condition,and may be related to the spectral mixing of different frequency components within the bandwidth if the main sources of the two are both two-plasmon decays.

Study on the influence of side-blown airflow velocities on plasma and combustion wave generated from fused silica induced by combined pulse laser

This study examines the impact of variations in side-blowing airflow velocity on plasma generation,combustion wave propagation mechanisms,and surface damage in fused silica induced by a combined millisecond-nanosecond pulsed laser.The airflow rate and pulse delay are the main experimental variables.The evolution of plasma motion was recorded using ultrafast time-resolved optical shadowing.The experimental results demonstrate that the expansion velocities of the plasma and combustion wave are influenced differently by the sideblowing airflow at different airflow rates(0.2 Ma,0.4 Ma,and 0.6 Ma).As the flow rate of the sideblow air stream increases,the initial expansion velocities of the plasma and combustion wave gradually decrease,and the side-blow air stream increasingly suppresses the plasma.It is important to note that the target vapor is always formed and ionized into plasma during the combined pulse laser action.Therefore,the side-blown airflow alone cannot completely clear the plasma.Depending on the delay conditions,the pressure of the side-blowing airflow,the influence of inverse Bremsstrahlung radiation absorption and target surface absorption mechanisms can lead to a phenomenon known as the double combustion waves when using a nanosecond pulse laser.Both simulation and experimental results are consistent,indicating the potential for further exploration of fused silica targets in the laser field.

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.

High-resolution x-ray monochromatic imaging for laser plasma diagnostics based on toroidal crystal

Monochromatic x-ray imaging is an essential method for plasma diagnostics related to density information.Large-field high-resolution monochromatic imaging of a He-like iron(Fe XXV)Kαcharacteristic line(6.701 keV)for laser plasma diagnostics was achieved using a developed toroidal crystal x-ray imager.A high-index crystal orientation Ge(531)wafer with a Bragg angle of 75.37°and the toroidal substrate were selected to obtain sufficient diffraction efficiency and compensate for astigmatism under oblique incidence.A precise offline assembly method of the toroidal crystal imager based on energy substitution was proposed,and a spatial resolution of 3-7μm was obtained by toroidal crystal imaging of a 600 line-pairs/inch Au grid within an object field of view larger than 1.0 mm.The toroidal crystal x-ray imager has been successfully tested via side-on backlight imaging experiments of the sinusoidal modulation target and a 1000 line-pairs/inch Au grid with a linewidth of 5μm using an online alignment method based on dual positioning balls to indicate the target and backlighter.This paper describes the optical design,adjustment method,and experimental results of a toroidal crystal system in a laboratory and laser facility.

Correction of intense laser–plasma interactions by QED vacuum polarization in collision of laser beams

The influence of vacuum polarization effects on the interactions of multiple ultra-intense lasers with plasmas is discussed. The nonlinear paraxial monochromatic model of the interactions has been improved by considering the Heisenberg–Euler Lagrangian density of two laser processes. Comparing the corrections of vacuum polarization effects in the collision of laser beams with one generated by a single intense laser, we find that the former has a higher order of magnitude correction. The laser collision also produces variations in the propagation direction and polarization direction of the lasers propagating in the plasma. In addition, the strong-field quantum electrodynamic(QED) effects can be enhanced by increasing the laser intensity or frequency difference, or by adjusting the incident angles of the two laser beams.

Transmission effects of high energy nanosecond lasers in laser-induced air plasma under different pressures

When a high energy nanosecond(ns)laser induces breakdown in the air,the plasma density generated in the rarefied atmosphere is much smaller than that at normal pressure.It is associated with a relatively lower absorption coefficient and reduces energy loss of the laser beam at low pressure.In this paper,the general transmission characterizations of a Joule level 10 ns 1064 nm focused laser beam are investigated both theoretically and experimentally under different pressures.The evolution of the electron density(n_(e)),the changes in electron temperature(T_(e))and the variation of laser intensity(I)are employed for numerical analyses in the simulation model.For experiments,four optical image transfer systems with focal length(f)of 200 mm are placed in a chamber and employed to focus the laser beam and produce plasmas at the focus.The results suggest that the transmittance increases obviously with the decreasing pressure and the plasma channels on the transmission path can be observed by the self-illumination.The simulation results agree well with the experimental data.The numerical model presents that the maximum n_e at the focus can reach 10^(19)cm^(-3),which is far below the critical density(n_(c)).As a result,the laser beam is not completely shielded by the plasmas.

Efficient ion acceleration driven by a Laguerre–Gaussian laser in near-critical-density plasma

Laser-driven ion accelerators have the advantages of compact size,high density,and short bunch duration over conventional accelerators.Nevertheless,it is still challenging to generate ion beams with quasi-monoenergetic peak and low divergence in experiments with the current ultrahigh intensity laser and thin target technologies.Here we propose a scheme that a Laguerre–Gaussian laser irradiates a near-critical-density(NCD)plasma to generate a quasi-monoenergetic and low-divergence proton beam.The Laguerre–Gaussian laser pulse in an NCD plasma excites a moving longitudinal electrostatic field with a large amplitude,and it maintains the inward bowl-shape for dozens of laser durations.This special distribution of the longitudinal electrostatic field can simultaneously accelerate and converge the protons.Our particle-in-cell(PIC)simulation shows that the efficient proton acceleration can be realized with the Laguerre–Gaussian laser intensity ranging from 3.9×10^(21)W·cm^(-2)–1.6×10^(22)W·cm^(-2)available in the near future,e.g.,a quasi-monoenergetic proton beam with peak energy~115 MeV and divergence angles less than 5°can be generated by a 5.3×10^(21)W·cm^(-2)pulse.This work could provide a reference for the high-quality ion beam generation with PWclass laser systems available recently.

Intense low-noise terahertz generation by relativistic laser irradiating near-critical-density plasma

Low-noise terahertz(THz)radiation over 100 MV/cm generation by a linearly-polarized relativistic laser pulse interacting with a near-critical-density(NCD)plasma slab is studied by theory and particle-in-cell(PIC)simulations.A theoretical model is established to examine the dipole-like radiation emission.The THz radiation is attributed to the singlecycle low-frequency surface current,which is longitudinally constrained by the quasi-equilibrium established by the laser ponderomotive force and the ponderomotively induced electrostatic force.Through theoretical analysis,the spatiotemporal characteristics,polarization property of the THz radiation,and the relation between the radiation strength with the initial parameters of driving laser and plasma are obtained,which are in good consistence with the PIC simulation results.Furthermore,it is found by PIC simulations that the generation of thermal electrons can be suppressed within the appropriate parameter regime,resulting in a clear THz radiation waveform.The appropriate parameter region is given for generating a low-noise intense THz radiation with peak strength reaching 100 MV/cm,which could find potential applications in nonlinear THz physics.

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.

Time-resolved K-shell x-ray spectra of nanosecond laser-produced titanium tracer in gold plasmas

A study of a nanosecond laser irradiation on the titanium-layer-buried gold planar target is presented. The timeresolved x-ray emission spectra of titanium tracer are measured by a streaked crystal spectrometer. By comparing the simulated spectra obtained by using the FLYCHK code with the measured titanium spectra, the temporal plasma states, i.e.,the electron temperatures and densities, are deduced. To evaluate the feasibility of using the method for the characterization of Au plasma states, the deduced plasma states from the measured titanium spectra are compared with the Multi-1D hydrodynamic simulations of laser-produced Au plasmas. By comparing the measured and simulated results, an overall agreement for the electron temperatures is found, whereas there are deviations in the electron densities. The experiment–theory discrepancy may suggest that the plasma state could not be well reproduced by the Multi-1D hydrodynamic simulation, in which the radial gradient is not taken into account. Further investigations on the spectral characterization and hydrodynamic simulations of the plasma states are needed. All the measured and FLYCHK simulated spectra are given in this paper as datasets. The datasets are openly available at http://www.doi.org/10.57760/sciencedb.j00113.00032.

Influence of the position relationship between gas–liquid interface and laser focus on plasma evolution characteristics in jet LIBS technology

In order to understand the characteristics of breakdown process,plasma evolution and spectral emission in liquid jets laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy methods under the influence of the position variation between laser focus and gas–liquid interface,this work takes the plasma generated by laser-induced liquid jets as the object of study and discusses the changes in the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics and spectral radiation of the plasma when the position parameters between the laser focal point and the gas–liquid interface are different.The initial breakdown position is always between the front interface and the focus when the laser focus moves along the vertical direction of the interface,forming a phenomenon like’interface effect’.The relationship between laser pulse energy and breakdown probability exhibits a law similar to a‘hysteresis curve’in the study of breakdown threshold.In this work,plasma with smaller size,rounder shape,stronger radiation,higher temperature,and higher density can be produced when the focus position is in the liquid column 0.2 mm away from the front interface.Simultaneously,the spectral signal intensity and signal-to-back ratio of the characteristic peaks of target elements in water reach maximum values,and the spectral signal becomes more stable(relative standard deviation value reaches 2%).The Ca element’s ion radiation at 393.366 nm and atomic radiation at 422.673 nm are studied using narrow-band filtering imaging and time-space resolution spectroscopy.The findings demonstrate that the laws of ion and atomic radiation are not perfectly consistent in space and time.