Plasma parametrization by analysis of time-resolved laser plasma image spectra

We describe an imaging technique that we have applied to laser-induced plasma parameter analysis. Time-resolved spectra, that were also spatially resolved in one dimension along the axis of plasma expansion, were obtained using a time gated intensified charge-coupled device (ICCD) coupled to a stigmatic spectrometer. Plasma parameters such as electron temperature, density and plume velocity were extracted directly from the image analysis which has been automated using a new MATLAB (TM) code. This technique permits rapid and ready characterization of laser plasma plumes in the early stage of the plasma expansion (following the passing of the plasma heating laser pulse). In this work we present and discuss its application to the analysis of a laser-produced Li plasma.