Theoretical estimations of the incoherent pumping of laser-induced copper plasma

Abstract

The optical pumping of laser-induced copper plasma by incoherent light of a fast-discharge xenon flashlamp is proposed to enhance the stimulated emission of the laser-induced plasma (LIP). To study the spatiotemporal evolution of the incoherent pumping of LIP, a numerical approach based on the collisional-radiative model and kinetic equations has been employed. The influence of total density and gas temperature on the stimulated emission and gain coefficient of the plasma plume was studied. The results show an enhancement of the intensity of the spectral lines of atomic copper. This idea demonstrates that the pumping of LIP by a low energy, fast-discharge flashlamp may be replacement for the expensive laser-pumped LIP for the improvement of the sensitivity of the related spectral diagnostics methods of plasma, such as laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy.