Tomographic diffractometry of laser-induced plasma formations

TL;DR

This paper introduces a sensitive optical diffractometry technique for detailed 3D tomography of laser-induced air plasma formations, revealing key dynamic features with high spatial resolution.

Contribution

It develops a novel diffraction-based tomography method using Supergaussian plasma modeling to analyze plasma evolution with unprecedented detail.

Findings

Captured delicate traits of plasma evolution

Identified key features like escape position and refocusing dynamics

Achieved 20 micrometer spatial resolution

Abstract

A sensitive optical diffractometry method is developed and utilized for advanced tomography of laser-induced air plasma formations. Using transverse diffractometry and Supergaussian plasma distribution modelling we extract the main parameters of the plasma being the plasma density, width and shape with 20 micrometer spatial resolution throughout the plasma formation. The experimentally recorded diffraction patterns fitted by the Supergaussian plasma model are found to capture unprecedentedly delicate traits in the evolution of the plasma from its effective birth and on. Key features in the spatial evolution of the plasma such as the 'escape position', the 'turning point' and the refocusing dynamics of the beam are identified and explored in details. Our work provides experimental and theoretical access into the highly nonlinear dynamics of laser-induced air plasma.