Advancements and Applications of Laser-Produced Plasmas

The concept of a laser blaster turning an enemy into a cloud of vapor may seem purely fictional, but the science that inspires this idea has real-world applications. Strong, focused lasers can indeed melt, vaporize, and ionize nearly all forms of matter. The highly energetic and dynamic characteristics of ionized gases, or plasmas, have been exploited to address many technical challenges that humanity faces today. Presented here is a brief review of the physics behind lasers and the plasmas they can generate, followed by several applications of laser-produced plasmas that are critical for the future of our environment, technology, and energy. Using lasers to ionize materials has proven useful in measuring and remediating contamination, manufacturing advanced computer chips, and performing groundbreaking research in fusion energy.