Spectroscopy Methods and Applications of the Tor Vergata Laser‐Plasma Facility Driven by GW‐Level Laser System

Abstract

A review focused on plasma induced on solid target by GW-level pulsed laser source is presented. A description of the Tor Vergata laser-plasma source (TVLPS), at the Tor Vergata University in Rome, is given. Such a facility uses a 1 GW, tabletop, multistage Nd:YAG/Glass laser system, delivering infrared (IR) pulses with nanosecond width and 1064 nm wavelength (TEM00 mode). Its applications are discussed providing: wide analysis of IR → soft X-ray conversion efficiency (1.3–1.55 keV); measures and modeling of line emission in soft X-ray spectra, such as those from zinc plasma near Ne-like Zn XXI and from barium plasma near Ni-like Ba XXIX. Particular attention is devoted to high-n dielectronic Rydberg satellites for finding a useful diagnostic tool for plasma conditions. Dependence of plasma spectra on laser parameters is shown. Finally, microradiography applications are presented for thin biological samples. Images permit to visualize specific structures and detect bioaccumulation sites due to contamination from pollutants.

Laser Pulse Effects on Plasma-Sprayed and Bulk Tungsten

“…The pulse parameters we used in the present experiments are as follows: wavelength λ = 1064 nm; pulse duration τ ≈ 15 ns; pulse energy Ep ≈ 8 J; Transverse Electromagnetical Mode is TEM00; P-polarized; focal spot size Φ = 200 μm; surface power density on the focal plane I = 1.7 × 10 12 W cm −2 . These parameters correspond to a plasma electronic temperature Te ≈ 1.218 × 10 6 K at the critical surface [36] and allow for a simulation of the material degradation during the plasma disruption process.…”

La distribution on the crater surface of W‐1%La2O3 produced by a single laser pulse

“…Transient thermal loads of high energy occurring in a tokamak during operative conditions have been simulated by a single laser pulse delivered by a noncommercial Nd:YAG laser 12 . The pulse parameters used in the experiments were the following: wavelength λ = 1064 nm, duration τ ≈ 15 ns, energy Ep ≈ 4 J, Transverse Electromagnetic Mode is TEM00, P‐polarized, focal spot size Φ = 200 μm, surface power density on the focal plane I = 8.5 × 10 11 W cm −2 .…”

Surface Morphological Features of Molybdenum Irradiated by a Single Laser Pulse

“…The plate surface of the Mo samples have been irradiated (see Figure 1) by a single laser pulse delivered by the laser system-Tor Vergata Laser-Plasma Source (TVLPS) [28], a no-commercial device which consists of a Nd:YAG oscillator, based on the Q-switched technique, followed by four amplification stages. The first two are also Nd:YAG, while the last ones are Nd:Glass.…”