Stabilizing exploding aluminum foils to create ultraviolet radiation

Research into exploding flat foils has become increasingly popular as foils can be used for various applications ranging from fast switches in powerful pulse generators to detonators to shock wave generators. Tilikin et al. discovered that applying artificial structures to the foil could change the explosion process. Sometimes, it could even provide a useable uniform source of ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

“This work is the first application of such a simple technique in order to stabilize the process of foil explosion,” said author Ivan Tilikin.

When thin foils, such as the aluminum foil used for cooking in many homes, are manufactured, internal structures are created. These structures prevent uniform energy deposition into the foil under high current. That leads to non-uniform explosion process and results in a large number of instabilities. By using a laser engraving machine to apply artificial structures, the researchers could prevent the production of such instabilities.

Though the team’s original goal was to speed up the explosion rate, they discovered structures that slow the explosion process and provide a uniform source of UV radiation. This UV radiation could be used for a range of processes like lithography and for disinfecting large objects.

“Our experimental work on the explosion of thin aluminum foils demonstrates the possibility of using radiation from the surface of the foil as a source of radiation,” said Tilikin. “Such applications of UV radiation of the exploded foil will be especially relevant for backlighting low-density plasma objects in experiments for example.”

Source: “Exploding foils with artificial structure as a source of ultraviolet radiation,” by Ivan N. Tilikin, Tatiana A. Shelkovenko, Sergey A. Pikuz, Alexander V. Oginov, Albert R. Mingaleev, Vera M. Romanova, and Alexey E. Ter-Oganesyan, Journal of Applied Physics (2023). The article can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0153853 .