This article is cited in 5 papers

Ionization dynamics in the laser plasma in a low pressure gas target

R. A. Demidov^ab, S. G. Kalmykov^ab, A. M. Mozharov^ab, M. V. Petrenko^ab, M. È. Sasin<sup>ab

a</sup> St. Petersburg Polytechnic University
^b Ioffe Institute, St. Petersburg

Abstract: In Xe-laser-plasma short-wave-radiation sources, the laser-energy-to-EUV conversion efficiency (CE) turns out to be substantially lower than theoretical expectations. An estimation made in the present work is evidence of what a long period of the primary ionization, lasting up to a moment when high-Z ions appear to emit short-wave photons, can be considered as a main cause for the low CE values. During that period the plasma remains low-ionized and absorbs weakly the laser energy. Data deduced from laser light absorption measurements confirm the estimation above. A preionization of the gas target with the UV excimer laser pulse is proposed as a method to accelerate the ionization process.

 English version: Technical Physics Letters, 2012, 38:11, 1004–1006

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