Electron number density; Electron temperature; Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy; Spatial confinement; Spectral emissions;PLASMA; TEMPERATURE; ABLATION; DENSITY

Spatial confinement effects on plasma parameters and surface morphology of laser-ablated Mg are studied by introducing a metallic blocker as well as argon (Ar) gas at different pressures. Nd: YAG laser at various fluences ranging from 7 to 28 J/cm(2) was employed to generate Mg plasma. Confinement effects offered by metallic blocker are investigated by placing the blocker at different distances of 6, 8, and 10 mm from the target surface; whereas spatial confinement offered by environmental gas is explored under four different pressures of 5, 10, 20, and 50 Torr. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy analysis revealed that both plasma parameters, that is, excitation temperature and electron number density initially are strongly dependent upon both pressures of environmental gases and distances of blockers. The maximum electron temperature of Mg plasma is achieved at Ar gas pressure of 20 Torr, whereas maximum electron number density is achieved at 50 Torr. It is also observed that spatial confinement offered by metallic blocker is responsible for the significant enhancement of both electron temperature and electron number density of Mg plasma. Maximum values of electron temperature and electron number density without blocker are 8335 K and 2.4 x 10(16) cm(-3), respectively, whereas these values are enhanced to 12,200 K and 4 x 10(16) cm(-3) in the presence of blocker. Physical mechanisms responsible for the enhancement of Mg plasma parameters are plasma compression, confinement and pronounced collisional excitations due to reflection of shock waves. Scanning electron microscope analysis was performed to explore the surface morphology of laser-ablated Mg. It reveals the formation of ripples and channels that become more distinct in the presence of blocker due to plasma confinement. The optimum combination of blocker distance, fluence and Ar pressure can identify the suitable conditions for defining the role of plasma parameters for surface structuring.

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy; Electron temperature; Number density; Magnetic confinement; Surface structuring;X-RAY-EMISSION; OPTICAL-EMISSION; ELECTRON-DENSITY; CARBON PLASMA; AMBIENT GAS; ABLATION; PLUME; TEMPERATURE; CONFINEMENT; PARAMETERS

The effect of the transverse magnetic field on laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy and surface modifications of germanium (Ge) has been investigated at various fluences. Ge targets were exposed to Nd: YAG laser pulses (1064 nm, 10 ns, 1 Hz) at different fluences ranging from 3 to 25.6 J/cm(2) to generate Ge plasma under argon environment at a pressure of 50 Torr. The magnetic field of strength 0.45 Tesla perpendicular to the direction of plasma expansion was employed by using two permanent magnets. The emission spectra of laser-induced Ge plasma was detected by the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopysystem. The electron temperature and number density of Ge plasma are evaluated by using the Boltzmann plot and stark broadening methods, respectively. The variations in emission intensity, electron temperature (T-e), and number density (n(e)) of Germanium plasma are explored at various fluences, with and without employment of the magnetic field. It is observed that the magnetic field is responsible for significant enhancement of both excitation temperature and number density at all fluences. It is revealed that an excitation temperature increases from T-e,T-max,T-without B = 16,190 to T-e,T-max,T-with B = 20,123 K. Similarly, the two times enhancement in the electron density is observed from n(e,max,without B) = 2 x 10(18) to n(e,max,with B) = 4 x 10(18) cm(-3). The overall enhancement in Ge plasma parameters in the presence of the magnetic field is attributed to the Joule heating effect and adiabatic compression. With increasing fluence both plasma parameters increase and achieve their maxima at a fluence of 12.8 J/cm(2) and then decrease. In order to correlate the plasma parameters with surface modification, scanning electron microscope analysis of irradiated Ge was performed. Droplets and cones are formed for both cases. However, the growth of ridges and distinctness of features is more pronounced in case of the absence of the magnetic field; whereas surface structures become more diffusive in the presence of the magnetic field.

Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy; Magnetic field confinement; Emission intensity; Electron temperature; Electron density; ZrO2 plume;X-RAY-EMISSION; OPTICAL-EMISSION; ALUMINUM PLASMA; MASS REMOVAL; ENHANCEMENT; PLUME; DIAGNOSTICS; SATURATION; DEPOSITION; ABLATION

Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy of ZrO2 plasma in the presence and absence of magnetic field has been investigated. The plasma was generated by employing Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm, 10 ns) at various fluences ranging from 6.4J cm(-2) to 25.6J cm(-2) under argon environment of pressure of 100 Torr. Both emission intensity and electron temperature show increasing trend with increasing the fluence, whereas, electron number density of ZrO2 plasma decreases with increasing the laser fluence. It is revealed that values of emission intensity, electron temperature and electron number density of ZrO2 plasma are slightly higher in the presence of magnetic field as compared to field free case at all fluences. This increase in plasma parameters is attributed to magnetic confinement and Joule heating effect. With the variation of fluence the electron temperature of ZrO2 plasma varies slightly from 5345 K to 5475 K in the absence of magnetic field, whereas in case of magnetic field this value enhances from 5435 K to 5600 K. Similarly the electron number density of ZrO2 plasma varies from 1.80 x 10(18) cm(-3) to 3.50 x 10(18) cm(-3) in the absence of magnetic field, whereas in case of magnetic field, the variation in electron number density varies from 1.75 x 10(18) cm(-3) to 4.25 x 10(18) cm(-3). The existence of magnetic confinement effects is confirmed by the analytical evaluation of plasma parameter beta, which is smaller than 1 under all experimental conditions. It is also revealed that both the laser fluence as well as magnetic field significantly influence the ZrO2 plasma parameters. (C) 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.