title: Temporal and spatial evolution of a laser-induced plasma from a steel target.
abstract: The space and time evolution of a laser-induced plasma from a steel target has been studied using optical time-of-flight and shadowgraphic techniques. The results, obtained for two distinct laser energy regimes, allow us to individuate two different regions in the plume, one characterized by air and continuum emissions produced by the shock wave ionization and the other characterized by emissions from ablated material. Moreover, it was shown that a sufficiently high laser fluence and short delay time of acquisition are needed to avoid inhomogeneous effects in the plasma, as required in analytical applications such as laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy.
authors.affiliation: Applied Laser Spectroscopy Laboratory, Institute for Chemical-Physical Processes of CNR Via Moruzzi, 1 56124 Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Corsi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cristoforetti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hidalgo
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Iriarte
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Legnaioli
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Palleschi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salvetti
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tognoni
mesh_terms: D005740:Gases / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007834:Lasers; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013057:Spectrum Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D013232:Steel / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: D005740:Gases; D013232:Steel