Charge and Energy Spectra of Fast Multicharged Ions in a Laser Plasma

In measuring the charge and energy spectra of the ions of a single-element laser plasma, in addition to thermal ions, fast multicharged ions are recorded that are accelerated by the electric field of laser radiation in the region of the critical plasma density. The charge and energy spectra of Co ions with the charge numbers z = 1–3 are measured at laser intensities of q = 5 × 10[sup 11]–10[sup 12]W/cm[sup 2]. The energy spectra of these ions are broad and are located on the high-energy side (z[sub max] = 3, E > 5.0 keV) with respect to the thermal ions (z[sub max] = 9, E < 4.0 keV). The increase in q to 10[sup 14]W/cm [sup 2] results in an increase in the charge number of both thermal and fast ions.