Laser-induced fluorescence of C2 and C3 in colliding carbon plasma

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The formation of transient molecular species, C2 and C3, was studied in the collision of two laser-produced carbon plasmas using laser-induced fluorescence. In vacuum, two closely neighboring laser-produced plasmas will collide, as they expand into one another or are forced into occupying the same space. This so-called colliding plasma produces a highly collisional composite plasma plume from the two individual plasmas which persists longer with enhanced prevalence of certain plasma processes such as recombination. In an inertial fusion energy (IFE) chamber, successive shots will ablate first wall material (e.g., graphitic carbon). Inwardly collapsing plasma will attain such a colliding plasma state as it converges inwards toward the chamber center. The presented results elucidate the early formation of C2 and C3, precursors to larger carbon structures which may contaminate an IFE chamber.