Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
5369296 Applied Surface Science 2006 7 Pages PDF
Abstract
We measured the momentum coupling coefficient Cm and laser-generated ion drift velocity and temperature in the femtosecond (fs) region, over a laser intensity range from ablation threshold to about one hundred times threshold. Targets were several pure metals and three organic compounds. The organic compounds were exothermic polymers specifically developed for the micro-laser plasma thruster, and two of these used “tuned absorbers” rather than carbon particles for laser absorption. The metals ranged from Li to W in atomic weight. We measured time of flight (TOF) profiles for ions. Specific impulse reached record values for this type of measurement and ablation efficiency was near 100%. These measurements extend the laser pulsewidth three orders of magnitude downward in pulsewidth relative to previous reports. Over this range, we found Cm to be essentially constant. Ion velocity ranged from 60 to 180 km/s.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering Chemistry Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
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