XUV spectroscopic studies of plasma plumes produced fromboron, boron carbide and boron nitride targets by a laser

Abstract

Spectroscopic investigations are made on expanding plasma plumescreated by a 20 ns, 3 J laser pulse impinging perpendicularly onto targetsof boron, boron carbide and boron nitride. The characterization of theplasma plumes is carried out spectroscopically in the wavelength rangefrom 30 to 330 Å, and by taking pinhole pictures at shorter wavelengths.The experimental results are compared with the plasma plume produced fromdifferent targets under the same experimental conditions. The calculatedplasma temperatures are 50 eV and 30 eV at 1 mm from the target in thecases of boron and boron carbide targets, respectively. Electrontemperature measurements were made as a function of laser irradiance,distance from the target surface and time elapsed after the maximum of thelaser pulse.