Investigation of radiation hydrodynamics properties in laser produced silicon and tin plasmas

A laser-produced plasma (LPP), formed by a high energy Q-switched laser pulse focused onto a solid target, consists of a large number of transient species and emits intense radiation from visible light to X-rays. The experimental observation and theoretical study of transient images and spectra of a LPP can reveal the energy level structures of atoms/ions, and carry rich information about the plasma structure and the related dynamic processes. In recent decades the LPP has gained universal acceptance as a standard laboratory ion source and pulsed short wavelength light source for important applications as light sources for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography , EUV metrology and surface treatment and modification. LPP sources emitting soft X-rays in the water window are being developed for use in a number of novel microscope designs for water window imaging and cell tomography. For these applications optimization of conversion efficiency and/or brightness are the topics of major concern, while knowledge of ion distributions and velocities are essential in designing effective debris elimination schemes and evaluating the potential effects of ion impact on multilayer mirror surfaces.