Pulse-shaped dependence of backscattered light from a KrF laser-produced plasma

Abstract
Aluminum and carbon targets have been irradiated in vacuum using an uv‐preionized KrF amplification system delivering up to 0.87 J in a 30‐nsec pulse. A pulse‐shaping technique has been employed to study the laser‐plasma interaction at the irradiance level 1×1010 W/cm2. Energy reflectivities and backscattered pulse modifications have been measured for three typical laser pulse shapes. A typical pulse having two distinctive peaks with a 30‐nsec interval were reflected from the plasma with its second peak strongly reduced.