Comparison of laser ablation with spark discharge techniques used for nanoparticle production

•We model primary nanoparticle formation in spark discharge and nanosecond laser ablation.•Correlation between plasma properties and size of formed particles is examined.•Spark discharge is compared with laser ablation.•After defined time delays quite similar critical nuclei are formed.

Based on numerical modeling, we compare laser ablation and spark discharge as promising methods of nanoparticle formation. First, we consider spark discharge between parallel plate metal electrodes. Second, we investigate nanosecond laser ablation of a metal target. For both phenomena copper is chosen to be nanoparticle material and argon at atmospheric pressure is used as an ambient gas. Despite different energy inputs, both differences and similarities are revealed in the corresponding plasma properties. The time-evolution of the critical particle sizes are, however, found to be similar in both cases.