Prepulse-induced shock waves in the gas jet target of a laser plasma EUV radiation source

In experiments with a laser-plasma EUV-radiation source, the main IR Nd: YAG laser pulse was preceded by that of a UV KrF excimer laser. Dramatic modulations of EUV plasma emissivity have been observed at long interpulse times, from hundreds of nanoseconds up to microseconds. To discover the nature of these prepulse-produced long-living perturbations of the target, a fluid dynamics numerical simulation of the Xe gas jet has been carried out. The prepulse has been found to generate a quasi-spherical shock wave with a thin dense front layer and a vast rarefied inside area. In the course of time, the front expands and simultaneously drifts downstream along with the gas. Depending on the interpulse time, the IR laser beam either intersects the dense layer or propagates within the rarefied gas cavity whereby the above-mentioned variations in the plasma emission can be explained. The possibilities of making use of the discovered phenomena to enhance the observed EUV plasma brightness are discussed.