Abstract

Recent advances in ultra-short pulse visible and uv laser technology make it practical for the first time to consider the production of multiply ionized laboratory plasmas in which ionization is moderated by an external optical field rather than by electron collisions. Such plasmas will be remarkable for the high degree of disequilibrium that can be achieved between the distribution of ionization and the electron energy distribution. In particular it should be possible to produce plasmas in which the electron energy distribution is much cooler (either locally or over a distance comparable to an electron mean free path) than the ionization temperature. This leads naturally to consideration of the use of these plasmas for short wavelength recombination lasers.

© 1991 Optical Society of America