Droplets generation conducting during laser-plasma treating of metals in electric field

Evolution of plasma plume generation on the surface of metal irradiated by laser beam with the mean radiation flux density ~ 106 W/cm2 in the external electric field with different polarity and field strength from 0 to 106 V/m was experimentally investigated. It is shown that the mean size of metal droplets carried out from the irradiated zone of target becomes materially (in several times) smaller when of the external electric field strength amplitude grow, independently to its polarity. It is essential that the mentioned differences (at the considered parameters of laser radiation) are observed only at the initial stage of the laser plume development, because after the steam-plasma cloud reaches the electrode an electric breakdown (short-circuit) occurs, and the external field in the interelectrode gap disappears. Electric breakdown leads to the spasmodic increase of electron density and temperature of plasma and to effective absorption of laser radiation by plasma torch (shielding of the target). In consequence of shielding droplets generation happens only during electric field existence. This explains decrease by several times of the characteristic size of the target substance droplets in spite of short duration of electric field existence.

In-Process Monitoring of Laser Surface Modification

The laser cleaning process has the potential to become an alternative to the existing chemical-based cleaning process if integrated with an effective in-process monitoring system that could serve as a control mechanism over surface damages or contaminants through which the desired surface cleanliness could be achieved. This paper presents results of an investigation into the characteristics and viability of utilizing probe beam reflection (PBR) and laser plume-emission spectroscopy (PES) as respective integrated monitoring systems during and after cleaning of titanium alloy sheets using a frequency-tripled Nd:YAG laser. The results present the probe beam reflection as a better system with the ability to differentiate between cleaned and un-cleaned surfaces for both small and large surface areas.

Application of Pulsed Laser Deposition in the Preparation of a Promising MoSx/WSe2/C(В) Photocathode for Photo-Assisted Electrochemical Hydrogen Evolution

We studied the possibility of using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) for the formation of a MoSx/WSe2 heterostructure on a dielectric substrate. The heterostructure can be employed for effective solar water splitting to produce hydrogen. The sapphire substrate with the conducting C(B) film (rear contact) helped increase the formation temperature of the WSe2 film to obtain the film consisting of 2H-WSe2 near-perfect nanocrystals. The WSe2 film was obtained by off-axis PLD in Ar gas. The laser plume from a WSe2 target was directed along the substrate surface. The preferential scattering of selenium on Ar molecules contributed to the effective saturation of the WSe2 film with chalcogen. Nano-structural WSe2 film were coated by reactive PLD with a nanofilm of catalytically active amorphous MoSx~4. It was established that the mutual arrangement of energy bands in the WSe2 and MoSx~4 films facilitated the separation of electrons and holes at the interface and electrons moved to the catalytically active MoSx~4. The current density during light-assisted hydrogen evolution was above ~3 mA/cm2 (at zero potential), whilst the onset potential reached 400 mV under irradiation with an intensity of 100 mW/cm2 in an acidic solution. Factors that may affect the HER performance of MoSx~4/WSe2/C(В) structure are discussed.

Regimes of substrates processing and deposition nanofilms using the laser-plasma method

The physical processes occurring in a laser-plasma source is used for deposition nanostructures. The laser-plasma source is an erosion laser plume of the target material and a substrate located in a vacuum chamber. It has been proposed to place a grid between the laser target and the substrate. A negative potential is applied to the grid relative to the laser target to smoothly adjust the parameters of the particles deposited on the substrate. As a result, a particles flow is formed after a grid. This particle flow is predominantly consisting of ions. The energy of the ions can be reliably and smoothly controlled by applying a positive potential to the grid relative to the substrate. It has been experimentally proved method for deposition of nanofilms using ion beams from the laser plasma. It has been shown that different regimes of substrate surface treatment can be implemented in the laser-plasma source for deposition nanostructures. Using this source, you can sequentially clean the surface of the substrate without depressurizing the vacuum chamber, and create a pseudodiffusion layer of the laser target material near the surface layer of the substrate. It will allow producing it possible to obtain highly adhesive nanofilms with predetermined parameters.

From the Laser Plume to the Laser Ceramics

The main stages of preparation of ceramic active elements of solid-state lasers are considered. The physical principles of laser synthesis of nanopowders are described. The features and processes taking place during compaction and compacts sintering are specified. Also we report on the investigation of characteristics of highly transparent ceramics on the basis of nanopowders synthesized in laser plume. It is shown that this approach enables to increase the “orange peel” formation threshold in the ceramics with strongly disordered crystalline structure. It opens the road to relatively simple synthesis technology from oxide materials and application of this ceramics as the gain media with oscillation efficiency higher than 50% and also leads to simplification of the synthesis technology of magnetoactive ceramics and to production of highly transparent YAG samples without the use of sintering heterovalent additives.