Experimental studies of the wavelength dependence of the following laser-plasma coupling processes were performed: (1) laser-light absorption, (2) energy transport, and (3) ablation and target-acceleration behavior. At a fixed intensity around ${10}^{14}$ W/${\mathrm{cm}}^2$, the ablation process was dominated by heat transport by cold electrons for 0.53-and 1.06-μ m lasers and by hot electrons for a 10.6-μ m laser.

• Received 9 September 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.23.2011