The history of pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and transient plasmas generated by laser ablation is intertwined with the development of various techniques for its fundamental understanding. Some diagnostic tools have been developed to better suit the rapid transient nature of the plasma (space and time dependence of all parameters, fast decay and complex chemistry inside the plasma), whereas others have been adapted from basic plasma physics studies. Langmuir probe method has been used as a real-time in situ diagnostic tool for laser ablation and later for PLD. It remains a useful tool for the PLD community arsenal, which can easily be adapted to the development of new lasers and ablation regimes and new deposition configuration, being one of the most versatile techniques for plasma diagnostics. It is the cornerstone on which charge particles are analyzed and has led to several important discoveries, such as multiple peak distribution, selective acceleration during expansion, plume splitting, plasma turbulences and fluctuations. However, because the Langmuir probe theory adaptation from classical plasma physics is not straightforward, it might lead to misinterpretation and often incorrect analysis of data. This review analyzes the limits and understanding of the technique as a foundation for attaining its full potential, which can impact the way PLD is used. This is especially useful for the pressing need of real-time, in-situ diagnostics and feedback loops for systematic semi-industrial implementation of the PLD technique.

We report experimental results and theoretical modeling showing the interaction between two fireballs excited on two positively biased electrodes immersed in a low-temperature plasma. This interaction leads to a synchronized dynamics of the two fireballs, its frequency depending on the plasma density, the voltages applied on the electrodes, and the distance between the two electrodes. By considering that the plasma particles (electrons, ions, neutrals) move on fractal curves, a theoretical model describing the interaction between the two fireballs is developed. The results of the theoretical model were found to be in good agreement with the experimental results.

We report certain complex behaviors of a nanosecond Nd:YAG laser produced plasma on a Ni target. For high laser fluences, a split in the transversal expansion plane along with oscillatory regimes of the ablation plasma were observed and investigated. These complex phenomena, which take place at various interaction time scales, are described using a fractal theoretical model based on continuous but non-differentiable curves of particle movement.

Various differentiable physical models are frequently used to describe the dynamics of laser-produced plasma plumes (e.g., kinetic models, two-fluid models, etc.). Given the complexity of all the phenomena involved in the laser-matter interactions, it is required to introduce the laser ablation plasma dynamic variable dependencies both on the space-time coordinates and on the resolution scales. Therefore, an adequate theoretical approach may be the use of non-differentiable physical models (fractal models). Continuing our previous work on the fractal hydrodynamic model for laser ablation plasma dynamics, we propose here a compact version for the analysis of the spatial and temporal evolution of some plasma dynamic variables, such as velocities, currents, number densities, or temperatures. Moreover, the influence of external factors on the ablation plasma dynamics is considered. The predictions of this model are compared with the experimental data obtained by using a Langmuir probe on an Aluminum laser-produced plasma.