Fast holographic cinematography of a laser plasma

A fast holographic cinematography method was used in an investigation of a laser plasma initiated at the surfaces of metal samples by pulses from a rhodamine laser. The time evolution of the electron densities and heavy-particle concentrations was determined and a study was made of the nature of motion of a shock wave front. A weak dependence of the evolution of the shock wave velocity on the target materials (aluminum, copper, zinc) was observed in the average power density range 10–25 MW/cm². A faster increase in the dimensions of a refracting plasma region, compared with a luminous region, and strong expulsion of cold air by an erosion plasma were recorded.