Recoil impulse received by metal targets as a result of interaction with microsecond CO2 laser radiation
I. Apostol, V. A. Vatanov, I. N. Mikheĭlesku, I. Morzhan, A. M. Prokhorov, V. B. Fedorov
Abstract:
The first measurements were made of the recoil impulse J received by bismuth, lead, zinc, and aluminum targets in vacuum as a result of interaction with microsecond CO2 laser pulses of I = 108–109 W/cm2 intensity. The measurements were carried out under conditions of planar one-dimensional target damage. It was found that the specific recoil impulse J/E (E is the pulse radiation energy) was independent of the intensity I, which had been observed earlier only in the low intensity range (I ~ 106–107 W/cm2) and correspondingly low target temperatures. This suggested a need for developing a theory of steady-state "advanced" evaporation at high laser radiation intensities. Possible physical mechanisms of this process were considered.