ELECTRON-DENSITY AND TEMPERATURE-MEASUREMENTS IN A LASER-PRODUCED CARBON PLASMA

Plasma generated by fundamental radiation from a Nd:YAG laser focused onto a graphite target is studied spectroscopically. Measured line pro files of several ionic species were used to infer electron temperature and density at several sections located in front of the target surfac e, Line intensities of successive ionization states of carbon were use d for electron temperature calculations. Stark broadened profiles of s ingly ionized species have been utilized for electron density measurem ents, Electron density as well as electron temperature were studied as functions of laser irradiance and time elapsed after the incidence of laser pulse. The validity of the assumption of local thermodynamic eq uilibrium is discussed in light of the results obtained. (C) 1997 Amer ican Institute of Physics.