Heating of metals by nanosecond XeCl* laser radiation pulses generating a surface plasma

An investigation was made of the interaction of metals in air with ultraviolet radiation of the wavelength 308 nm and intensity up to 3×10⁹ W/cm². The plasma formation threshold was found to depend strongly on the degree of laser cleaning and preliminary preparation of the target surfaces. The target material had a decisive influence on the dependence of the efficiency of energy deposition on the laser radiation intensity. Conditions for low-threshold breakdown of air by ultraviolet laser radiation were analyzed.