Femtosecond laser-plasma dynamics study by a time-resolved Mach–Zehnder-like interferometer
Armando V. F. Zuffi, Jhonatha Ricardo dos Santos, Edison Puig Maldonado, Nilson Dias Vieira, Ricardo Elgul Samad
Abstract
Side-view density profiles of a laser-induced plasma were measured by a home-built, time-resolved, Mach-Zehnder-like interferometer. Due to the pump-probe femtosecond resolution of the measurements, the plasma dynamics was observed, along with the pump pulse propagation. The effects of impact ionization and recombination were evidenced during the plasma evolution up to hundreds of picoseconds. This measurement system will integrate our laboratory infrastructure as a key tool for diagnosing gas targets and laser-target interaction in laser wakefield acceleration experiments.
Topics & Concepts
FemtosecondInterferometryOpticsLaserPlasmaMach–Zehnder interferometerPicosecondTemporal resolutionPlasma diagnosticsMaterials sciencePhysicsQuantum mechanicsLaser-induced spectroscopy and plasmaLaser-Plasma Interactions and DiagnosticsLaser-Matter Interactions and Applications