SiC and Ion collectors as diagnostics of laser-generated plasma at intensity of 10 10 W/cm 2

Characterization of non-equilibrium plasma by 10(10) W/cm(2) IR pulsed laser irradiating metallic targets in a vacuum, has been performed employing a Faraday cup as an ion collector (IC) and a SiC interdigitated detector, connected in time-of-flight (TOF) configuration.Both detectors reveal the emitted fast UV and the slower plasma ions. The measure of energy of ions and photons has been evaluated using the TOF spectra and thin absorbers.The fast semiconductor response and its high detection efficiency give a good benchmark measurement of radiations at low energy emitted by plasma generated by ns laser pulses. Thanks to the IC detector response it is possible to evaluate the ion current emitted from the plasma. The simultaneous use of the two detectors allows to monitor and evaluate different plasma parameters, such as the time emission, the temperature, the maximum particle energy and charge state, and others.