Mechanism of laser plasma production and of plasma interaction with a target

Abstract

A model of plasma production by laser interaction with a solid target was developed taking into account plasma heating by the emitted electrons, as additional to the absorbed laser energy flux, and also target heating by ion bombardment, as additional heat source to the laser radiation. A system of equations, including equations for solid heat conduction, plasma generation, and the plasma expansion, was solved self-consistently. The proposed model allows to understand that the plasma, partially shielding the laser radiation from the target, also converts absorbed laser energies to kinetic and potential energy of the plasma particles, which transport this energy not only in the ambient vacuum but also through the electrostatic sheath to the solid surface.