Magnetic field structure of a laser jet plasma at low radiation flux densities

Measurements were made of the structure and growth dynamics of the toroidal component of a magnetic field generated by a laser jet produced by a radiation flux of ~ 200 MW/cm²density at a pressure of ~ 5 x 10^–2 Torr. The experimental results were compared with calculations for an axisymmetric jet and this made it possible to identify a thermoelectromotive force acting in the plasma of the laser jet as the main source of the magnetic field.