The electron temperature distribution of laser erosion plume after ablation of a tantalum target with excimer laser in vacuum

The erosion plume resulting from an ablation of a tantalum target in vacuum with an excimer laser radiation (308 nm) was studied using the Langmuir pr obe technique. The spatial and temporal dependencies of the electron probe currents were obtained in real time. The electron temperature of different plume regions was determined from a series of I-U characteristics taken at different distances between the probe and the target. We determined that th e plume electron temperature is non-uniform and has a maximum value in fron t of the plume. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.