Diamagnetic cavitization of laser-produced barium plasma in transverse magnetic field.

Influence of uniform transverse magnetic field and ambient Ar pressure on the plasma plume produced by Nd:YAG laser ablation of barium has been investigated by time-of-flight optical emission spectroscopy. Experiments were carried out with laser pulse energy of 150 mJ and 0.45 Tesla magnetic field. The time-of-flight profiles showed ambient pressure independent behavior at 6-mm distance from the target, which is attributed to the diamagnetic behavior of the laser plasma. A theoretical model is proposed that may explain the compression of temporal profiles of the ionic lines.