Using the mass-spectrometric method we studied the effect of light gas inclusions on the formation process of multi-component laser-induced plasma ions. Mass–charge characteristics, as well as energy and spatial distribution of the plasma ions are analysed. We found that both the energy and maximal charge of heavy component ions decrease due to the presence of gas atoms in the solid target surface layer.

Using a static mass-spectrometer we studied the effect of the target irradiation with neutrons on the parameters of the plasma particles generated from such irradiated targets under the action of laser radiation. We found that the defects in the crystal structure of targets, due to the irradiation, influence not only on the efficiency of the material evaporation process and emission of the plasma, but also on the efficiency of ionization and recombination processes, which takes place in the plasma bunch on the stage of formation and expansion.

Using the mass-spectrometric method we study the charge, energy and spatial characteristics of ions in multicomponent plasma, generated under the action of Nd : YAG laser radiation on the surface of solid targets. We focus on the effect of the entry form of light gas atoms on the parameters of ions in such laser-produced plasmas. We found that the presence of light gas atoms considerably affects the parameters (e.g. the intensity and the charge multiplicity) of the heavier ions.

We study the effect of intense laser radiation on the surface of silicate glass prior irradiated by gamma radiation. Experimental results show that the gamma radiation with dose 5 × 10 4 R leads to the degradation of the surface resistance of this optical dielectric to electromagnetic radiation. Depending on the dose of the radiation the laser radiation can result in either surface erosion or its pronounced cracking. It is also found that the efficiency of the degradation process is determined not only by the radiation dose, but also by the presence of different impurities in the glass.

Effect of 60 Co γ-ray radiation at room temperature up to a dose of 5⋅10 7 Gy on the parameters of laser-generated plasma ions at the surface of single crystalline silicon and multicomponent silicate glass targets is investigated using time-of-flight mass spectrometer based on an electrostatic energy analyzer. The main impact of the radiation is observed in the charge state of the plasma ions: for small energy ions the charge increases with increasing the radiation dose, whereas the increase in the radiation dose results in the decrease of the charge of high-energy ions. The maximum energy of the ions also decreases with increasing the radiation dose. Effect of point defects created by metal atom inclusions on the absorption properties of silicate glasses is also studied. The defects decrease the resistance of the glasses to optical damage as they become centers of intense light absorption.