LASER ABLATION OF ZIRCONIUM IN GAS ATMOSPHERES AT LOW-PRESSURES

Pulsed nitrogen laser induced ablation of solid zirconium targets was monitored using laser induced fluorescence. Starting from ‘new’ surfaces, the density evolution under the influence of different gas atmospheres (oxygen, helium, hydrogen and nitrogen) with pressures up to 10-3 mbar has been studied. It was observed that even small amounts of gas lead to a large increase in the velocity and the density of the ablated atomic cloud. © 1990 IOP Publishing Ltd.