EMISSION OF IONS FROM LASER INDUCED PLASMAS USING FARADAY CUPS

AND FABRICATION OF FARADAY CUPS

TARIQ HUSSAIN, M,AM WAJIHA, DR.KHURSHID ASLAM BHATTI, ZAFAR IQBAL
PHYSICS LAB. THE UNIVERSITY OF LAHORE,PAKISTAN
ABSTRACT:
A diode pulsed laser [532nm, 563x1012Hz, 1.776fs, 0.3732x10-18J] is used to produce plasma
from the target material (Al). The angular distribution behavior is studied with the help of ion
flux and energy. The ion flux is maximum at the normal of target surface. The maximum flux is
1.73x1016Nm2/C. But the kinetic energy is studied by the using of time of flight method. Its value
is maximum at the normal of target material and found 0.023kev.

INTRODUCTION:
When the laser radiation is absorbed by the solid surface, electromagnetic energy converts into
electrical excitation and then into thermal energy, chemical energy, and mechanical energy to
cause evaporation, ablation, excitation, plasma formation, and exfoliation [1]. Laser solid
interaction leads to the formation of laser induced plasma after a number of energy conversions,
provided that energy of incident laser exceeds the ablation threshold of the solid. Plasma ejects
and produces the atoms, molecules, electrons, ions, clusters, micron-sized particles, and molten
globules [2]. The laser-matter interaction to causes temperature rise of the surface of target
material due to laser photon absorption. This leads to melting and evaporation plasma plume
formation from target. But laser matter interaction depends upon target material and intensity of
laser [3]. Removal of material from the target surface by using the laser radiation energy is
known as laser ablation plasma [4]. When a high power laser beam impinges on a solid target, its
energy is absorbed resulting in electron excitation of the atoms near the surface, thus rapidly
increasing target temperature. Vapors are next produced, ionized, and heated to a plasma
temperature much higher than the target one, using inverse bremsstrahlung [5].When the plasma
plume is ejected from target material, the expansion of plasma is maximum at the normal of
target is called as forward peaking. The ion energy, ion flux and ion anisotropy etc. from Laser

Induced Plasma can be studied by using different techniques like SSNTDs, scintillator photo
multiplier system, faraday cups, Longmire probe[6]. Interaction of an intense focused pulsed
laser and a solid target is a short-duration result. Plasma temperature and density considerably
change with time and in space, the output signal measured by a Faraday cup fixed at 100 mm
from a Cu target, showing temporal changes of electron current (negative signals, or below zero
ampere) and ion current (positive signals, or upper zero ampere) measured in a laser ablation
plasma[7] basically in this paper presents the results about the ion energy of the pulse laser
generated copper ions and relates with the ion flux by the characteristics of the plasma plume.
EXPERIMENTAL SETUP:
The distance of diode laser is 60cm and IR lens is used for the focusing of the laser at 12cm. For
the ion energy, two faraday cups are used. First is placed at 6cm at the normal of target material
and second is placed at 10cm with 15 0 angle difference with respect to normal. Only one
material is used like is aluminum. Angular distribution of ions can also be study by suing four
cups having angles 00,300, 600, 900 with respect to target normal. Height of faraday cups and
target material is 15cm and CCD camera is used for capture the plasma plume. Diode laser is
used for ion production purpose. Oscilloscope is used to show the display of ions signal in the
form of sinusoidal waves on screen.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

When the laser photon is emitted from diode pulsed laser having [532nm, 563x10 12Hz, 1.776fs,
0.3732x10-18J] and strike with the target material of aluminum. Then the plasma is generated
from the target surface of aluminum. Firstly, vapor emission is takes place and these vapors heat
up by the incident photon of laser which approach to the production of plasma. After that plasma
starts expending. Ions are ejected from target surface due to the coulomb explosion. They form a
cone shape and their energy is maximum at the normal of the target material. The electrons are
produced due to the thermal effect [8,9].
PLASMA PLUME IMAGING USING CCD:

Figure1 (a)

(b)

Figure 1(a) Plasma plume of Al in air medium .and Shows the time integrated, space resolved
image of plasma plume in air medium Figure 1(b) the intensity profile of whole plume in two
Dimensions tells us the behavior of intensity is maximum at the centre of plasma plume and
away from centre is decreased and the peak of the graph is indicate the ejected material
maximum at the centre of plasma plume.
Angular distribution of ions:
A diode pulsed laser [532nm, 563x1012Hz, 1.776fs, 0.3732x10-18J] was employed to irradiated at
the angle of 450 with respect to a target normal with the help of convex lens with 12cm focal
length .We used four faraday cups at 00, 300, 600, 900 with respect to the normal of the target
surface. We used the target material aluminum in this experiment. Laser beam which strike on

surface of target at 450 with respect to the target normal. We discussed the flux of ions by using
four faraday cups were placed in front of target material with a same distances 10cm from target
and different angles with respect to target normal.

Aluminium target

1.8

32
30

1.4

28

1.2

26

1.0

24

FWHM(ns)

flux(Nm2/C)

1.6

0.8
0.6

0
30
60
90

1.73
0.274
1.154
0.432

22
20

0.4

18

0.2

16
14

0.0
0

20

40

angle(degree)

60

80

100

20

40

60

80

100

angle(degree)

Figure 2: graph plot between the angle and ion flux. The value of ion flux decrease suddenly due
to increase the angle when the angle is 30 0 from the normal of the target, but at 60 0 the value of
ion flux is deceased from 900. So the generally ion flux is decreased due to going away from the
target normal. Figure 3: graph plot between Angle and Full Width Half Maximum (FWHM) of
Plasma Ions. The curve shows that we increase the angle from 0 0 to 900 the value of the full
width half maximum (FWHM) of aluminums is decrease. The relation between them is inversely.
But achieve the approximately straight line. The trend of the graph is lorentzean.

a re a u n d e r c u rv e (A U C)) (P m

B
30000

25000

20000

15000

10000

5000
0

20

40

60

80

100

angle(degree)

Figure 4: Curve between the angle and area under the curve (AUC). The value of area under the
curve decrease suddenly due to increase the angle when the angle is 30 0 from the normal of the
target, but at 600 the value of (AUC) is deceased from 90 0. So the generally area under the curve
is decreased due to going away from the target normal.
ION ENERGY
A diode laser beam irradiated at an angle of 450 with respect to target normal of the target surface
two faraday cups were placed along the target normal in such a way that first cup is placed 6cm
from target surface at normal of the target. 2 nd faraday cup is placed 10cm from target at 15 0 with
respect to target normal. So the difference b/w the faraday cups is 4cm.the intensity of laser
beam is sufficient to produce singly, doubly and triply charged state of ions. The doubly and
triply charged of ions are generally, emitted towered the target normal and the singly ions are
tightly bounded so these are away off the axis slightly. The faraday cups are connected with the
digital oscilloscope through a biasing circuit and signal is obtained on digital oscilloscope. The
kinetic energy E of a detected ion can be calculated using the formula
mi D 2
E= 2 t 2

[10,11]

Where D is the distance from the faraday cup to the plasma and t is the TOF. Thus, by measuring
the TOF of the detected ions.

CURRENT DENSITY:
The current of ion =89.91mA which is calculated by the formula of I=P.A.V 3/2/d2 . Where the P
is constant, which is a function of the geometry of the system. It is known as the Perveance.
A is the area inside of inner brass of faraday cup which is in the form of a small circular
cylinder. V is the volume of cylinder and d is the density of the ions which is received by
Faraday cup[28]. So the formula of current density is given by
J=I/A
J=P.V3/2/d2
TABLE 1: EXPERIMENTAL DATA FOR THE ALUMINIUM TARGET
SR#

1
2

Angle

Distance

Time

Difference

Frequenc

Velocity

Energy

Current

(degree)

(cm)

(ns)

In time(ns)

(m/s)

(kev)

density

00
150

6
10

50
36

14

(MHz)
20.0
27.78

2.86x106 0.23

231.25

The table shows that the velocity of the plasma ions is 2.86x10 6m/s which is calculated by using
time of flight method. And the energy is in the form of kev, current density is also be calculated
here.
CONCLUSION:
Emission of ions from laser induced plasmas were studied by the means of time of flight
methods using faraday cups signal obtained on the digital storage an oscilloscope. Some results
are given below
The bunch of plasma ions is maximum at the normal of target material but when going
away from target material then the ions are gradually decreased even at 90 0 the ions are
negligible.
The ion flux of plasma are maximum at the normal of target material but when going
away from target material then the ions are decreased even at 900 the ions is zero.
Ions energy of plasma ions of the aluminum material was found to be 0.23kev.

 The velocity of the aluminum ions is 2.86x106m/s.

The emission is highly anisotropic with greater flux in the axial direction as compared to
the radial direction, accompanied with the emission of white radiation and second
harmonics radiations of the laser used.
Ions current was 89.91mA.
The current density of ions was calculated and equal to 231.25A/m2.
FUTURE WORK:
In future, Space resolved expansion of the plasma plume will be studied under the different
ambient environment, to differentiate the effect of the particular gas on expansion dynamics.
CCD camera with various lenses of different focal length can be employed to study the effect of
focal length on plume expansion. Temperature and distribution function of the plasma particles
(like as the electron and ions) will be calculated which will be the helpful in laser plasma
deposition of the material like as aluminum, silver, gold and cadmium etc.
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