A Plane Electrostatic Analyzer for Laser Produced Plasma Studies

The use of an electrostatic analyzer as a time-of-flight spectrometer for studying laser produced plasmas is discussed. It is shown that a plane electrostatic analyzer, accommodating several detectors simultaneously, can be used to determine several points on the velocity distribution curve for the ions produced upon irradiation of a target with a single Q-switched laser pulse. This minimizes the problem of shot-to-shot reproducibility of the laser. It is shown also that with a 30° plane analyzer good energy and time resolution are obtainable in determining the time dependent ion velocity distribution for a laser produced plasma.