Dynamics of C2 formation in laser-produced carbon plasma in helium environment

We investigated the role of helium ambient gas on the dynamics of C2 species formation in laser-produced carbon plasma. The plasma was produced by focusing 1064 nm pulses from an Nd:YAG laser onto a carbon target. The emission from the C2 species was studied using optical emission spectroscopy, and spectrally resolved and integrated fast imaging. Our results indicate that the formation of C2 in the plasma plume is strongly affected by the pressure of the He gas. In vacuum, the C2 emission zone was located near the target and C2 intensity oscillations were observed both in axial and radial directions with increasing the He pressure. The oscillations in C2 intensity at higher pressures in the expanding plume could be caused by various formation zones of carbon dimers. VC 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3555679]