Propulsion of a flat tin target with pulsed CO2 laser radiation: measurements using a ballistic pendulum

The recoil momentum transfer produced by irradiation of a flat tin (Sn) target with pulses of high-power CO2 laser with intensity ranging from 107 to 10 W has been studied. Momentum measurements were performed using a ballistic pendulum, capable of measuring momenta as small as g cm . It has been established that the recoil momentum monotonically increases with the laser energy and asymptotically reaches the power scaling law with . Results are compared with previously published theoretical studies.