Effect of gas pressure on ionization of ambient gas

An Nd: YAG pulsed laser (145 mJ) was used to ablate aluminum target and Ar was used as protecting gas. Time-and space-resolved spectra of the plasmas under pressure 100 Pa, 1 kPa, 10 kPa and 100 kPa were acquired with time- and space-resolved technique. The characteristics of the plasma radiating under each pressure were briefly described, and the laws of Ar characteristical radiaton were analyzed in detail. Based on the profile of Ar characteristical radiation under these pressure, the relation between protecting gas pressure and its ionization was briefly discussed, and explained with quantum theory. Farther more, the mechanism of ambient gas ionization was investigated. As the result, it was suggested that the main mechanism inducing protecting gas to ionize should be the absorption of the plasma continuum radiation by the gas.