LASER-PLASMA AS A SOURCE OF HIGHLY IONIZED IONS

The article presents results of experimental investigation of iodine l aser interaction with Al, Cu, and Ta targets, obtained on the laser sy stem PERUN (lambda = 1.315 mum, E < 50 J, gamma is similar to 350 ps) by means of corpuscular diagnostics. Ion energy distributions, average charge, and percent composition of the expanding plasma were determin ed. The plasma electron temperature was estimated to be T(e) is simila r to 550 +/- 100 eV. The maximum velocity (energy) of Al ions was esti mated to be V is similar to 9 X 10(7) cm/s (approximately 110 keV), Cu ions V is similar to 6 X 10(7) cm/s (approximately 107 keV), and Ta i ons V is similar to 3 X 10(7) cm/s (approximately 110 keV); the maximu m measured charge state was z = 13 for Al ions (time-of-flight base L = 196 cm), z = 22 for Cu ions (L = 116 cm), and z = 9 for Ta ions (L = 116 cm).