Plume dynamics and cluster formation in laser-ablated copper plasma in a magnetic field

Laser-ablated copper plasma plume expanding in a nonuniform magnetic field and ambient gas is investigated to understand plume dynamics using optical emission spectroscopy and fast imaging of the plume. A peculiar oscillatory behavior of the plume observed in magnetic field is discussed. The appearance and enhancement of Cu(2) (A-X) band in ambient gas and in the presence of magnetic field is reported. The presence of magnetic field favors the formation of copper clusters in the expanding plumes. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3555590]