The UV-visible spectroscopy of laser-produced aluminum plasmas

Abstract

The optical emission spectra (180–760 nm) of plasmas produced by a flashlamp-pumped dye laser focused on an aluminum target have been recorded and analyzed. In the incident intensity range from near plasma threshold to 5×107 W/cm2 the electron temperature was calculated from the relative emission intensity of Al(II) states (Te=8.0×103 K). The electron density was determined from Stark broadened linewidths of four Al(II) lines. Both the spatial and temporal dependence of the emission spectra were obtained providing a map of the electron density and temperature.