Initial plasma formation by laser radiation acting on absorbing materials for a planar geometry of expansion of the plasma formed

Abstract

This work is concerned with the experimental studies of nonstationary processes of initial plasma formation as well as with the elucidation of the role of the erosion and air plasmas in the formation of the screening plasma flame. To this end, the authors performed complex experiments using high-speed shadow, photo and spectrographic methods, as well as the methods of photoelectric recording of the incident and reflected laser radiation together with time-referencing of the apparatus complex to within 20 nsec using a specially developed generator of synchronous electrical and light pulses. Specific measurements were performed primarily for determining the dependence of the time of the initial plasma formation and development of screening on the power density of the LR and the chemical composition of the plasma-forming material.