Charge state and Energy distribution of carbon ions and protons emitted from laser-produced graphite plasma. (1st January 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Abbasi, Shahab Ahmed; Ilyas, Bushra; Dogar, Ashiq Hussain; Qayyum, Hamza; Ahmed, Nasar; Khan, Taj Muhammad; Qayyum, Abdul
• Is Part Of: Physica scripta. Volume 98:Number 1(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-01-01
• Subjects: carbon ions -- protons -- carbon clusters -- energy distribution -- graphite -- laser plasma; Physics -- Periodicals; 530.05
• DOI: 10.1088/1402-4896/acab97
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0031-8949

Abstract

Abstract: The energy and charge state distribution of atomic carbon ions, carbon cluster ions, and protons emitted during Q-switched Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm/6 ns) laser irradiation of high purity graphite target was investigated by employing a time of flight ion energy analyzer (TOF-IEA). Laser fluence on the target surface was varied from 2 to 26 J cm −2 . At the lower fluence range (2–6 J cm −2 ), multiply charged low mass odd numbered cluster ions C n q + with n = 3, 5, 7 and charge state up to 5 + and carbon atomic ions up to the charge state of 3 + were detected. For the fluence greater than 6.4 J cm −2, carbon atomic ions up to a charge state of 6 + and protons were observed. The energy distribution of various carbon ions and protons was measured at the fluence of 5.1 and 2 5.5 J cm −2 . At 5.1 J cm −2, the measured energy range for carbon cluster ions C 3 q + and carbon C 1 q + was 0.2–3.1 keV and 0.2–1.2 keV, respectively. At 25.5 J cm −2, the energy of carbon ions C 1 q + (q = 2–4) was in the range of 0.4–3.8 keV. Surprisingly, energetic protons with maximum energy of 1.5 keV and considerable intensity were detected at 25.5 J cm −2 . The bi-component structure of ion energy distribution suggested a complex ion accelerating mechanism, which is discussed within the framework of the electrostatic model.