Neutral cluster debris dynamics in droplet-based laser-produced plasma sources

The neutral cluster debris dynamics of a droplet-based laser-produced plasma is studied experimentally and analytically. Experiments were done imaging the debris with a high-speed shadowgraph system and using image processing to determine the droplet debris mean radial velocity (V) over bar dependence on laser pulse irradiance E-e. The data shows a power law dependence between the mean radial debris velocity and the incident irradiance giving <(V) over bar> proportional to E-e(n) with n approximate to 0.65. A scaled analytical model was derived modeling the plasma ablation pressure on the droplet surface as the primary momentum exchange mechanism between the unablated droplet material and the laser pulse. The relationship between droplet debris trajectory and the droplet alignment with the laser was quantified analytically. The derived analytical model determines that the neutral cluster debris trajectory for an ablated droplet is a function of the laser profile f(L), the droplet diameter D and the axial misalignment h between the laser axis and the droplet center. The analytical calculations from these models were found to be in good agreement with the measurements. This analysis has practical significance for understanding ablated droplet debris, droplet deformation by laser pulsing, and droplet breakup from very short timescale shocks.