Clusters in Intense XUV pulses: effects of cluster size on expansion dynamics and ionization

We examine the effect of cluster size on the interaction of Ar$_{55}$-Ar$_{2057}$ with intense extreme ultraviolet (XUV) pulses, using a model we developed earlier that includes ionization via collisional excitation as an intermediate step. We find that the dynamics of these irradiated clusters is dominated by collisions. Larger clusters are more highly collisional, produce higher charge states, and do so more rapidly than smaller clusters. Higher charge states produced via collisions are found to reduce the overall photon absorption, since charge states of Ar$^{2+}$ and higher are no longer photo-accessible. We call this mechanism \textit{collisionally reduced photoabsorption}, and it decreases the effective cluster photoabsorption cross-section by more than 30% for Ar$_{55}$ and 45% Ar$_{2057}$. compared to gas targets with the same number of atoms. An investigation of the shell structure soon after the laser interaction shows an almost uniformly charged core with a modestly charged outer shell which evolves to a highly charged outer shell through collisions. This leads to the explosion of the outer positive shell and a slow expansion of the core, as was observed in mixed clusters at shorter wavelength [1]. The time evolution of the electron kinetic energy distribution begins as a (mostly) Maxwellian distribution. Larger clusters initially have higher temperature, but are overtaken by smaller temperature after the laser pulse. The electron velocity distribution of large clusters quickly become isotropic while smaller clusters retain the inherent anisotropy created by photoionization.Lastly, the total electron kinetic energy distribution is integrated over the spacial profile of the laser and the log-normal distribution of cluster size for comparison with a recent experiment [2], and good agreement is found.Comment: 13 pages, 11 figure

Augmented collisional ionization via excited states in XUV cluster interactions

The impact of atomic excited states is investigated via a detailed model of laser-cluster interactions, which is applied to rare gas clusters in intense femtosecond pulses in the extreme ultraviolet (XUV). This demonstrates the potential for a two-step ionization process in laser-cluster interactions, with the resulting intermediate excited states allowing for the creation of high charge states and the rapid dissemination of laser pulse energy. The consequences of this excitation mechanism are demonstrated through simulations of recent experiments in argon clusters interacting with XUV radiation, in which this two-step process is shown to play a primary role; this is consistent with our hypothesis that XUV-cluster interactions provide a unique window into the role of excited atomic states due to the relative lack of photoionization and laser field-driven phenomena. Our analysis suggests that atomic excited states may play an important role in interactions of intense radiation with materials in a variety of wavelength regimes, including potential implications for proposed studies of single molecule imaging with intense X-rays.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

Computational Investigation of Intense Short-Wavelength Laser Interaction with Rare Gas Clusters

Clusters of atoms have remarkable optical properties that were exploited since the antiquity. It was only during the late 20th century though that their production was better controlled and opened the door to a better understanding of matter. Lasers are the tool of choice to study these nanoscopic objects so scientists have been blowing clusters with high intensities and short duration laser pulses to gain insights on the dynamics at the nanoscale. Clusters of atoms are an excellent first step in the study of bio-molecules imaging. New advancements in laser technology in the shape of Free Electron Lasers (FEL) made shorter and shorter wavelengths accessible from the infrared (IR) to the vacuum and extreme ultra-violet (VUV and XUV) to even X-rays. Experiments in these short wavelengths regimes revealed surprisingly high energy absorption that are yet to be fully explained. This thesis tries to increase the global knowledge of clusters of rare-gas atoms interacting with short duration and high intensity lasers in the VUV and XUV regime. Theoretical and numerical tools were developed and a novel model of energy transfer based on excited states will be presented. The first part describes the current knowledge of laser-cluster interaction in the short wavelength regime followed by the description of the new model. In the second part of the thesis the different tools and implementations used throughout this work are presented. Third, a series of journal articles (of which four are published and one to be submitted) are included where our models and tools were successfully used to explain experimental results

Investigation of ultrashort pulse laser ablation of the cornea and hydrogels for eye microsurgery

The Femtosecond laser is a very promising tool for performing accurate dissection in various cornea layers. Clearly, the development of this application requires basic knowledge about laser-tissue interaction. One of the most significant parameter in laser applications is the ablation threshold, defined as the minimal laser energy per unit surface required for ablation. This paper investigates the ablation threshold as a function of the laser pulse duration for two corneal layers (endothelium and epithelium) as well as for hydrogel with different hydration degrees. The measured ablation thresholds prove to behave very differently as a function of the pulse duration for the various materials investigated. although the values obtained for the shortest laser pulses are quite similar. Our experimental results are fitted with a simple model for laser-matter interaction in order to determine some intrinsic physical parameters characterizing each target