Energy analysis of protons emitted from Nd:YAg laser-generated plasmas

Abstract

Hydrogenated targets have been irradiated in vacuum with the pulsed Nd:YAg laser at intensities of the order of 1010 W/cm2. The laser-generated plasma, produced by the interaction with the solid, emits protons and other ions along the normal to the target surface. Ion collectors and ion energy analyzer were used to measure the current, the angular emission and the energy distributions of the emitted protons. Time-of-flight measurements, Coulomb–Boltzmann-distributions and the fits of experimental data were also used in order to evaluate the equivalent ion plasma temperature and the ion acceleration developed in the non-equilibrium-pulsed plasma.