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Updated: May 13, 2026
11:20
Investigation of Early Plasma Evolution Induced by Ultrashort Laser Pulses
Published on: July 2, 2012
Visualization of jet development in laser-induced plasmas
Stefan Brieschenk1, Sean O'Byrne, Harald Kleine
1Centre for Hypersonics, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia. s.brieschenk@uq.edu.au
Optics Letters
|March 5, 2013
Summary
Laser-induced plasmas can create gas jets. New research shows these jets may reverse direction or vanish, depending on absorbed energy and breakdown energy, potentially forming multiple plasma sites.
Area of Science:
- Plasma Physics
- Laser-Matter Interactions
- Fluid Dynamics
Background:
- Laser-induced plasmas in gases typically generate a forward-directed gaseous jet.
- The behavior of these postplasma gas dynamics is crucial for understanding laser energy deposition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the directional behavior of gaseous jets generated by laser-induced plasmas.
- To identify conditions under which these jets deviate from the typical forward direction or fail to form.
Main Methods:
- Experimental generation of laser-induced plasmas in gases.
- Observation and analysis of the resulting gaseous jet dynamics.
- Correlation of jet behavior with plasma energy absorption and breakdown energy.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated, for the first time, that laser-induced plasma jets can propagate in the opposite direction of the laser source.
- Observed instances where gaseous jets did not form at all.
- Linked jet behavior to the ratio of absorbed plasma energy to threshold breakdown energy.
Conclusions:
- The directionality and formation of laser-induced plasma jets are controllable.
- Multiple plasma initiation sites in the focal waist can influence jet dynamics.
- Energy absorption dynamics play a critical role in postplasma gas plume behavior.
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