A Fokker-Planck Code for Laser-Produced Plasmas

A Fokker-Planck code is developed based upon Epperlein＇s scheme to investigate laser-produced plasmas in relevance to inertial confinement fusion. The equations are integrated implicitly by time-splitting method. Three test problems are simulated to show the versatility of the code. The results are in good agreement with the existing simulations.

Numerical investigation of non-local electron transport in laser-produced plasmas

Non-local electron transport in laser-produced plasmas under inertial confinement fusion （ICF） conditions is studied based on Fokker-Planck （FP） and hydrodynamic simulations. A comparison between the classical Spitzer-Harm （SH） transport model and non-local transport models has been made. The result shows that among those non-local models the Epperlein and Short （ES） model of heat flux is in reasonable agreement with the FP simulation in overdense region. However, the non-local models are invalid in the hot underdense plasmas. Hydrodynamic simulation is performed with the flux limiting model and the non-local model, separately. The simulation results show that in the underdense region of the laser-produced plasmas the temperature given by the flux limiting model is significantly higher than that given with the non-local model.

Influence of heating effect in Thomson scattering diagnosis of laser-produced plasmas in air

A state diagnosis of laser-produced plasma in air generated by a 1064 nm pulse laser was investigated by the Thomson scattering(TS)method.The evolutions of the electron temperature and electron density were obtained as a function of the time delay which ranged from 300-3200 ns.The heating effect produced by the 532 nm probe beam with different energies on the air plasma at different interaction times was further studied using a time-resolved optical emission spectroscopy technique.The influence of the probe beam on the electron density was found to be negligible,whereas its influence on electron temperature is evident.In addition,the heating effect of the probe beam on the plasma strongly depends on the energy of the probe beam,and gradually weakens with increasing time delay.Our results are helpful for further understanding the TS method and its application in plasma diagnostics.

High performance streaked X-ray spectrometer for research of laser-produced plasmas

In order to mitigate the effect of the strong electromagnetic pulse, which produces laser-plasma interactions, we designed a new streaked X-ray spectrometer （SXS） enclosed within a well-sealed, electromag- netic interference-free cavity. The SXS can cover a wide selection of spectral windows using interchangeable Bragg crystals and by appropriate adjustment of the Bragg angle. The SXS has been used to observe time-re- solved X-ray spectrum in the 2.5 keV to 3.5 keV photon-energy range, resulting in a demonstrated spectral res- olution of about 13 at 2960 eV with a time resolution of 10 ps. The observed time and spectral resolutions dem- onstrate the applicability of the SXS for studies of laser-produced plasmas.

Study of the 6.x nm short wavelength radiation spectra of laser-produced erbium plasmas for BEUV lithography

Beyond extreme ultraviolet(BEUV)radiation with a wavelength of 6.x nm for lithography is responsible for reducing the source wavelength to enable continued miniaturization of semiconductor devices.In this work,the Required BEUV light at 6.x nm wavelength was generated in dense and hot Nd:YAG laser-produced Er plasmas.The spectral contributions from the 4p–4d and 4d–4f transitions of singly,doubly and triply excited states of Er XXIV–Er XXXII in the BEUV band were calculated using Cowan and the Flexible Atomic Code.It was also found that the radiative transitions between multiply excited states dominate the narrow wavelength window around 6.x nm.Under the assumption of collisional radiative equilibrium of the laser-produced Er plasmas,the relative ion abundance in the experiment was inferred.Using the Boltzmann quantum state energy level distribution and Gram–Charlier fitting function of unresolved transition arrays(UTAs),the synthetic spectrum around 6.x nm was finally obtained and compared with the experimental spectrum.The spatio-temporal distributions of electron density and electron temperature were calculated based on radiation hydrodynamic simulation in order to identify the contributions of various ionic states to the UTAs arising from the Er plasmas near 6.x nm.

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.

Analysis of extreme ultraviolet spectra of laser-produced Cd plasmas

In order to provide detailed information about Cd structure and gain more insight regarding ionization degrees and types of transition,as well as the understanding of the temporal evolution behavior of laser produced Cd plasmas,extreme ultraviolet spectra of laser-produced cadmium(Cd)plasmas have been measured in the 8.4-12 nm region using spatiotemporally resolved laser-produced plasma spectroscopy technique.Spectral features were analyzed by the Hartree-Fock(HF)method with relativistic correlations(HFR)using the Cowan code.The results showed that the 4p-5s resonance transition arrays from Cd^9+to Cd^13+merged to form intense lines in this spectral region.A number of new spectral features from Cd^9+and Cd^10+ions are reported in this study.Based on the assumption of a normalized Boltzmann distribution among the excited states associated with a steady-state collisional-radiative model,the plasma parameters were obtained by comparing the experimental and simulated spectra.As a result,we succeeded in reproducing the synthetic spectra for different time delays,which yielded good agreement with the experiments.The temporal evolution behaviors of electron temperature and electron density of plasma were also analyzed.

Numerical studies for plasmas of a linear plasma device HIT-PSI with geometry modified SOLPS-ITER

The HIT-PSI is a linear plasma device built for physically simulating the high heat flux environment of future reactor divertors to test/develop advanced target plate materials.In this study,the geometry-modified SOLPS-ITER program is employed to examine the effects of the magnetic field strength and neutral pressure in the device on the heat flux experienced by the target plate of the HIT-PSI device.The findings of the numerical simulation indicate a positive correlation between the magnetic field strength and the heat flux density.Conversely,there is a negative correlation observed between the heat flux density and the neutral pressure.When the magnetic field strength at the axis exceeds 1 tesla and the neutral pressure falls below 10 Pa,the HIT-PSI has the capability to attain a heat flux of 10 MW·m-2 at the target plate.The simulation results offer a valuable point of reference for subsequent experiments at HIT-PSI.

A laser-produced plasma source based on thin-film Gd targets for next-generation extreme ultraviolet lithography

We have studied laser-produced plasma based on mass-limited thin-film Gd targets for beyond the current extreme ultraviolet(EUV)light source of 13.5 nm wavelength based on tin.The influences of the laser intensity on the emission spectra centered around 6.7 nm from thin-film Gd targets were first investigated.It is found that the conversion efficiency of the produced plasma is saturated when the laser intensity goes beyond 2×10^(11)W cm^(-2).We have systematically compared the emission spectra of the laser-produced plasma with the changes in the thicknesses of the thin-film Gd targets.It is proved that a minimum-mass target with a thickness of 400 nm is sufficient to provide the maximum conversion efficiency,which also implies that this thickness is the ablation depth for the targets.These findings should be helpful in the exploration of next-generation EUV sources,as the thin-film Gd targets will reduce the debris during the plasma generation process compared with the bulk targets.

Extraterrestrial Life in the Thermosphere: Plasmas, UAP, Pre-Life, Fourth State of Matter

“Plasmas” up to a kilometer in size and behaving similarly to multicellular organisms have been filmed on 10 separate NASA space shuttle missions, over 200 miles above Earth within the thermosphere. These self-illuminated “plasmas” are attracted to and may “feed on” electromagnetic radiation. They have different morphologies: 1) cone, 2) cloud, 3) donut, 4) spherical-cylindrical;and have been filmed flying towards and descending from the thermosphere into thunderstorms;congregating by the hundreds and interacting with satellites generating electromagnetic activity;approaching the Space Shuttles. Computerized analysis of flight path trajectories documents these plasmas travel at different velocities from different directions and change their angle of trajectory making 45°, 90°, and 180° shifts and follow each other. They’ve been filmed accelerating, slowing down, stopping, congregating, engaging in “hunter-predatory” behavior and intersecting plasmas leaving a plasma dust trail in their wake. Similar life-like behaviors have been demonstrated by plasmas created experimentally. “Plasmas” may have been photographed in the 1940s by WWII pilots (identified as “Foo fighters”);repeatedly observed and filmed by astronauts and military pilots and classified as Unidentified Aerial—Anomalous Phenomenon. Plasmas are not biological but may represent a form of pre-life that via the incorporation of elements common in space, could result in the synthesis of RNA. Plasmas constitute a fourth state of matter, are attracted to electromagnetic activity, and when observed in the lower atmosphere likely account for many of the UFO-UAP sightings over the centuries.

Spectral and ion emission features of laser-produced Sn and SnO2 plasmas

We have made a detailed comparison of the atomic and ionic debris, as well as the emission features of Sn and SnO2 plasmas under identical experimental conditions. Planar slabs of pure metal Sn and ceramic SnO2 are irradiated with 1.06 μm, 8 ns Nd：YAG laser pulses. Fast photography employing an intensified charge coupled device （ICCD）, optical emission spectroscopy （OES）, and optical time of flight emission spectroscopy are used as diagnostic tools. Our results show that the Sn plasma provides a higher extreme ultraviolet （EUV） conversion efficiency （CE） than the SnO2 plasma. However, the kinetic energies of Sn ions are relatively low compared with those of SnO2. OES studies show that the Sn plasma parameters （electron temperature and density） are lower compared to those of the SnO2 plasma. Furthermore, we also give the effects of the vacuum degree and the laser pulse energy on the plasma parameters.

Analysis of extreme ultraviolet spectral profiles of laser-produced Cr plasmas

Radiation from laser-produced plasmas was examined as a potential wavelength calibration source for spectrographs in the extreme ultraviolet(EUV) region.Specifically, the EUV emission of chromium(Cr) plasmas was acquired via spatiotemporally resolved emission spectroscopy.With the aid of Cowan and flexible atomic code(FAC) structure calculations,and a comparative analysis with the simulated spectra, emission peaks in the 6.5–15.0 nm range were identified as 3 p–4 d, 5 d and 3 p–4 s transition lines from Cr5+–Cr10+ions.A normalized Boltzmann distribution among the excited states and a steady-state collisional-radiative model were assumed for the spectral simulations, and used to estimate the electron temperature and density in the plasma.The results indicate that several relatively isolated emission lines of highly charged ions would be useful for EUV wavelength calibration.

Elliptically-bent crystal spectrograph for X-ray diagnosis of laser-produced plasmas

In order to measure spatially and temporarily resolved laser-produced plasma X-ray spectra in 0.2 - 2 nm region, a novel two-channel elliptically-bent crystal spectrograph has been developed. Dispersive elements are LiF, PET, Mica, and KAP crystals, which cover Bragg angles in the range of 30 - 67.5 degrees. Eccentricity and focal distance of twin ellipses are 0.9586 and 1350 mm, respectively. Spatially resolved spectrum is photographically recorded with an X-ray film or X-CCD camera in one channel, and temporarily resolved one is photographically recorded with an X-ray streak camera in another channel, thus spatially and temporarily resolved spectra can be simultaneously obtained. Spectral images were acquired with X-CCD and PET in SHENGUANG-II laser facility, and experimental results show that the spectral resolution of the spectrograph is about 0.002 nm.

Measurement and analysis of the extreme ultraviolet emission band of laser-produced antimony plasmas

The temporal evolution of extreme ultraviolet(EUV)emission spectra of laser-produced antimony(Sb)plasmas has been measured in the 7-16 nm wavelength region using spatio?temporally resolved lase-produced plasma spectroscopy technique.The spectral profiles involve an intense quasi-continuous band with superimposed intense characteristic radiation and are different with the increase of delay time.The spectral structures were also analyzed according to Hartree-Fock calculations with configuration interaction effects and contributed from 4d^4/;4d-4p,and 4d-5f unresolved transition arrays of Sb7*-Sb131.A steady-state collisionalradiative model was used to estimate the electron temperature and density range of Sb plasmas.This work would enrich the spectral data of highly-charged ions and provided a possible selection for developing EUV light sources.

Numerical Simulation of the Thomson Scattering Experiment Performed with 0.351μm Laser-Produced Aluminum Plasmas

The evolutions of the electron temperatures of Muminum plasmas produced with 0.351 μm laser are simulated by means of one-dimensional hydrodynamic code. The simulations show that the plasma geometry has strong influence on the electron temperature＇s evolution while the effect of the flux limiter is not so significant. The simulations are in good agreement with the experiments only at some spatial points. A full comparison between the simulations and experiments indicates that the one-dimensional code is not accurate enough to characterize the laser-produced plasmas. A post-processor code based on the hydro code is developed to generate the streak image of the Thomson scattering spectra, which can be directly compared with the experimental data.

Extreme ultraviolet spectral characteristic analysis of highly charged ions in laserproduced Cu plasmas

This paper reports the results of spectral measurements and a theoretical analysis of the temporal and spatial evolution of laser-produced Cu plasma in vacuum in the range of 8–14 nm.The time dependence of the extreme ultraviolet band spectrum at different positions near the target surface was obtained and found to be dominated by three broad-band features.The 3p and 3d excitations of Cu5+–Cu9+ions were calculated using the Hartree–Fock theory with configuration interactions.The characteristics of the spectral line distribution for the 3p–nd and 3d–nf transition arrays were analyzed.Based on the steady-state collisional radiation model and the normalized Boltzmann distribution,the complex spectral structure in the band of 13–14 nm is accurately explained through consistency comparisons and benchmarking between the experimental and theoretical simulation spectra,demonstrating that the structure mainly stems from the overlapping contribution of the 3d–4f and 3p–3d transition arrays for the Cu5+–Cu9+ions.These results may help in studying the radiation characteristics of isoelectronic series highly-charged ions involving the 3d excitation process.

Effect of dielectronic recombination on charge-state distribution in laser-produced plasma based on steady-state collisional-radiative models

Armed with four different steady-state collisional-radiative(CR) models,we investigated the effect of dielectronic recombination(DR) on the charge-state distribution in laser-produced silicon plasma. To assess this effect,we performed a series of temporally resolved spectra of highly charged Si ions in the extreme ultraviolet region.Ab initio calculations of the DR rate coefficients were done for Si^(6+)–Si^(4+) ions. We also analyzed the evolution of the collisional ionization, radiative recombination, three-body recombination, photo-ionization, and DR rate coefficients as a function of electron temperature. The electron temperature and electron density for different delay times were obtained by comparing the normalized experimental and simulated spectra. The ion fraction and average charge state from the four different CR models were also obtained. The results indicate that the DR process has a greater influence in the stage of plasma evolution that cannot be neglected in plasma diagnoses.

Theoretical analysis and numerical simulation of the impulse delivering from laser-produced plasma to solid target

A plasma is produced in air by using a high-intensity Q-switch Nd：YAG pulsed laser to irradiate a solid target, and the impulses delivering from the plasma to the target are measured at different laser power densities. Analysing the formation process of laser plasma and the laser supported detonation wave （LSDW） and using fluid mechanics theory and Pirri＇s methods, an approximately theoretical solution of the impulse delivering from the plasma to the target under our experimental condition is found. Furthermore, according to the formation time of plasma and the variation of pressure in plasma in a non-equilibrium state, a physical model of the interaction between the pulse laser and the solid target is developed. The plasma evolutions with time during and after the laser pulse irradiating the target are simulated numerically by using a three-dimensional difference scheme. And the numerical solutions of the impulse delivering from the plasma to the target are obtained. A comparison among the theoretical, numerical and experimental results and their analyses are performed. The experimental results are explained reasonably. The consistency between numerical results and experimental results implies that the numerical calculation model used in this paper can well describe the mechanical action of the laser on the target.

Efficient combination and enhancement of high-power mid-infrared pulses in plasmas

High-power intense optical sources in the mid-to-long wavelength infrared region are very attractive for a wide range of fields from fundamental research to materials science and biology applications.However,there are still significant challenges in extending long-wavelength infrared pulses into the relativistic regime using conventional optical techniques.Here,based upon a new type of plasma-based optical method,we present an efficient scheme capable of combining several high-power long-wavelength infrared laser pulses into one single,more intense pulse,thus bringing the intensity of the output pulse to the relativistic regime.Such intense infrared pulses will open up new possibilities for strong-field physics and ultrafast applications.Furthermore,this is beneficial to understand the underlying physics and nonlinear processes of modulation,propagation and energy transfer of high-power intense laser pulses in plasmas.

Laser-produced plasma helium-like titanium Kα x-ray source and its application to Rayleigh-Taylor instability study

Several experiments are performed on the ShenGuang-Ⅱ laser facility to investigate an x-ray source and test radiography concepts. X-ray lines emitted from laser-produced plasmas are the most practical means of generating these high intensity sources. By using a time-integrated space-resolved keV spectroscope and pinhole camera, potential helium-like titanium Kα x-ray backlighting （radiography） line source is studied as a function of laser wavelength, ratio of pre-pulse intensity to main pulse intensity, and laser intensity （from 7.25 to ～ 11.3 × 10^15 W/cm2）. One-dimensional radiography using a grid consisting of 5 #m Au wires on 16 μm period and the pinhole-assisted point projection is tested. The measurements show that the size of the helium-like titanium Ka source from a simple foil target is larger than 100 ~m, and relative x-ray line emission conversion efficiency ~x from the incident laser light energy to helium- like titanium K-shell spectrum increases significantly with pre-pulse intensity increasing, increases rapidly with laser wavelength decreasing, and increases moderately with main laser intensity increasing. It is also found that a gold gird foils can reach an imaging resolution better than 5-μm featured with high contrast. It is further demonstrated that the pinhole-assisted point projection at such a level will be a novel two-dimensional imaging diagnostic technique for inertial confinement fusion experiments.