Revisiting argon cluster formation in a planar gas jet for high-intensity laser matter interaction

We determine the size of argon clusters generated with a planar nozzle, based on the optical measurements in conjunction with theoretical modelling. Using a quasi-one dimensional model for the moments of the cluster size distribution, we determine the influence of critical physical assumptions. These refer to the surface tension depending on the presence of thermal equilibrium, the mass density of clusters, and different methods to model the growth rate of the cluster radius. We show that, despite strong variation in the predicted cluster size, < N >, the liquid mass ratio, g, can be determined with high trustworthiness, because g is predicted as being almost independent of the specific model assumptions. Exploiting this observation, we use the calculated value for g to retrieve the cluster size from optical measurements, i.e., calibrated Rayleigh scattering and interferometry. Based on the measurements of the cluster size vs. the nozzle stagnation pressure, we provide a new power law for the prediction of the cluster size in experiments with higher values of the Hagena parameter (Gamma* > 10(4)). This range is of relevance for experiments on high-intensity laser matter interactions. (C) 2016 Author(s).