Study of angular dependences of ion component parameters in CO2-laser-produced plasma

Abstract

CO2-laser-produced plasma ion component parameters were studied for aluminium and lead targets at laser intensity of P = 4×1013 W cm−2 and pulse duration of τ = 15 ns experimentally and numerically. Angular dependences of ion number density for different charge states, average velocity and its spread were measured by time-of-flight method. Ion charge state distribution shows high-charge and low-charge state groups at normal expansion direction. Ions in these groups have different average expansion velocity and longitudinal velocity spread. Angular distribution of high-charge states is narrower than that of the low-charge state ion group, maximum yield of low-charge states occur at some angle from normal. For Al target results show similar trends as for Pb target, but simulations have indicated that the effect of laser ponderomotive force is more pronounced in this case.