Laser-generated pulsed atomic beams

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Abstract
The irradiation of thin films of solid material by a moderate energy (0.5 J/pulse) Q‐switched ruby laser beam has been used to produce intense pulses of neutral atoms and molecules in the 1 to 10 eV energy range. For a given total laser beam energy, both the flux and energy range of atoms within the pulse can be varied within limits by adjusting the energy density of the laser light at the target surface. As observed at a distance of 60 cm from a thin BiF3 compound target, the flux of 5 eV fluorine atoms from a typical burst was estimated to be about 1.3×107 atoms/cm2/sec. For the same burst, the flux integrated over the 1 to 10 eV range yields a value of ∼2×1013 atom/cm2. Similar results were obtained with aluminum and uranium thin films.

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