Device for Inductive Heating and Focusing of Laser Produced Plasma

The design and implementation of a pulsed magnetic induction device used to heat and focus a laser produced plasma in vacuum is described. Imaging of the plasma light emission and optical spectroscopy show that the UV/visible light emission is strongly enhanced, and the degree of ionization is increased. The plasma focusing is confirmed by contraction of the deposits formed by the plasma transmitted through the induction coil. The operation of the device can be described in the framework of resistive magnetohydrodynamics, where the induced currents heat the plasma and focus the plasma via the Lorentz interaction with the magnetic field.