COMPUTATIONAL AND EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES ON SPONTANEOUS MAGNETIC-FIELD GENERATION ASSOCIATED WITH LASER-PRODUCED PLASMAS IN VACUUM

Experimental as well as Computer Simulation studies have been systematically performed on the spontaneous generation of magnetic fields associated with laser-produced plasmas from massive solid targets in vacuum. The experimental studies have been performed by employing a pulsed ruby-laser beam, aluminum plane target and magnetic probe(s) located in the vicinity of target surface to measure generated magnetic fields. Numbers of new interesting facts have been found experimentally on the time evolution of spatial distribution of magnetic field generated, and possible physical interpretations for them are given. The comparisons of our experimental results are made with those from our computer simulations, as well as with the other experimental results which have been performed in the existence of background gases, rather than in vacuum. © 1979, THE PHYSICAL SOCIETY OF JAPAN. All rights reserved.