Role of particles of target material in the dynamics of plasma formation

An automated system was used to study the optical characteristics of erosion jets formed by the interaction of neodymium laser radiation of 100–1500 J pulse energy with targets of zinc, lead, magnesium, cadmium, and bismuth. Low-threshold bursts of absorption were initiated by liquid droplet particles of the target material. The range of neodymium laser energies in which these particles exerted a strong influence on the optical characteristics of the erosion jets was determined.