Charge-Separation Electric Fields in Laser Plasmas

Abstract
Space-charge-separation electric fields have been measured in the expansion of laser plasmas generated by 40-psec, 1.06-μm laser pulses. The measurements were made at 2.5 and 5.0 mm from the carbon targets and on nanosecond time scales. Measured electric fields were as high as 1900 V/cm and exceed those expected from theory.