Plasma production experiments using a pulsed HF laser

Abstract
A high radiance unstable resonator HF laser (λ=2.8 μm) has been used to produce plasmas from Al and C targets in a vacuum. Measurements of the plasma properties at irradiance levels up to 7×1010 W cm−2 have been made using a range of diagnostic techniques (x‐ray detectors, charge probes, streak photography, and plasma reflection).