Evidence of inverse bremsstrahlung in laser enhanced laser-induced plasma

Plasmas created by a Nd: yttrium aluminum garnet laser show systematic changes in local electron temperature when bathed by a continuous wave laser of increasing irradiance. By monitoring the local electron density, the laser light absorption coefficient, and the signal to noise ratio in neutral emissions, we explain the changes in electron temperature and signal to noise to be a consequence of inverse bremsstrahlung in this new system of laser enhanced laser-induced plasmas. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3501995]