Laser plasma as a source of highly ionized ions

The article presents results of experimental investigation of iodine laser interaction with Al, Cu, and Ta targets, obtained on the laser system PERUN (λ=1.315 μm, E<50 J, γ∼350 ps) by means of corpuscular diagnostics. Ion energy distributions, average charge, and percent composition of the expanding plasma were determined. The plasma electron temperature was estimated to be Te∼550±100 eV. The maximum velocity (energy) of Al ions was estimated to be V∼9×107 cm/s (∼110 keV), Cu ions V∼6×107 cm/s (∼107 keV), and Ta ions V∼3×107 cm/s (∼110 keV); the maximum measured charge state was z=13 for Al ions (time-of-flight base L=196 cm), z=22 for Cu ions (L=116 cm), and z=9 for Ta ions (L=116 cm).