脉冲激光烧蚀中电声弛豫时间的确定

为了提高脉冲激光制备薄膜的质量,准确掌握电声弛豫时间是关键,它对脉冲激光脉宽和能量密度的选取起着决定性的作用. 文中以铝靶材为例,利用经典的双温方程通过时域有限差分法(FDTD)得到电子、离子亚系统的温度随时间和位置演化的图像,进而得到电声弛豫时间的准确值. 这样便能准确划分热烧蚀和非平衡烧蚀,从而更好地控制激光的烧蚀过程. 同时找出了电声弛豫时间随激光脉宽以及能量密度变化的规律. 关键词： 飞秒激光 电声弛豫时间 双温方程 激光能量密度     

Simulation of thermionic emission optimization in femtosecond laser irradiation metal film by two-layer structure

The thermionic emission of the single-layer gold thin film and the two-layer film was assembled by gold padded with other metals (Ag, Cu, and Ni) and irradiated by the femtosecond laser pulse. Additionally, the emission was simulated by a two-temperature model combined with the Richardson–Dushman equation. It was found that the two-layer metal structure can change the electron temperature of the gold surface and control the thermionic emission compared with the single-layer gold film. With the same laser fluence, the two-layer film structure may shorten the duration of thermionic emission, and the duration of the thermionic emission can be further optimized by changing the proportion of thin film thickness with gold layer in the two-layer structure. The result can be especially beneficial in the context of ultrafast electron emission induced by femtosecond laser.     

Ultrafast thermalization characteristics in Au film irradiated by temporally shaped femtosecond laser pulses

The ultrafast thermalization processes of Au film irradiated by multi-pulse sequences with variable temporal separation were investigated by numerical simulations. Two temporally sequential thermal relaxation mechanisms including the two temperature relaxation and the thermal diffusion relaxation were demonstrated. With inclusion of the electron ballistic effect, we obtained the full 2-D temperature fields evolution dominated by the two distinct relaxation mechanisms. It is proposed that the laser thermalization processes can be greatly promoted through choosing the optimized temporal separation of the pulse train. We also found that the two temperature relaxation period can be modulated by changing the pulse train parameters such as the temporal separation, the pulse durations and the pulse number in a train.     

Ultrafast temperature relaxation evolution in Au film under femtosecond laser pulses irradiation

Ultrafast temperature relaxation processes in Au film including two temperature relaxation and thermal diffusion relaxation with femtosecond laser pulse excitation were investigated numerically by Finite Element Method (FEM). With the temperature dependent thermal parameters, the full 2D temperature field evolution in picosecond and nanosecond domains were obtained. It is proposed that the heat transfer depth can be alternatively localized or enhanced by the distinct temperature relaxation mechanisms. Moreover, the effect of laser parameters and Au film thickness and surface reflectivity on the two temperature relaxation time were analysed.     

Ultrafast solid–liquid–vapor phase change of a gold film induced by pico- to femtosecond lasers

Melting, vaporization and resolidification processes of thin gold film irradiated by a femtosecond pulse laser are studied numerically. The nonequilibrium heat transfer in electrons and lattice is described using a two-temperature model. The solid–liquid interfacial velocity, as well as elevated melting temperature and depressed solidification temperature, is obtained by considering the interfacial energy balance and nucleation dynamics. An iterative procedure based on energy balance and gas kinetics law to track the location of liquid–vapor interface is utilized to obtain the material removal by vaporization. The effect of surface heat loss by thermal radiation was discussed. The influences of laser fluence and duration on the evaporation process are studied. Results show that higher laser fluence and shorter laser pulse width lead to higher interfacial temperature, deeper melting and ablation depths.     

Heating process and damage threshold analysis of Au film coated on Cu substrate for femtosecond laser

The heating processes of a two-layer film assembly of Au padded with Cu irradiated by femtosecond laser pulse are studied using a two-temperature model. It is found that the chosen substantially influence the energy transport, and consequently the temperature variation, and thermal equilibrium time. At the same laser fluence, the different thickness of gold film leads to a change of gold surface temperature. By choosing the thickness of the gold layer in the two-layer film assemblies, the damage threshold of the gold film can be maximized. The results can be used to optimize the damage threshold of gold coating optical components.     

Modeling of femtosecond laser damage threshold on the two-layer metal films

The heating processes of the single-layer gold thin film and the two-layer film assembly of gold padded with other metal (silver, copper and nickel) irradiated by femtosecond laser pulse are studied by the two-temperature model. It is found that the substrate metal can change energy transport, which is corresponding to the temperature changing process, and the thermal equilibrium time. Compared with the single-layer gold film at the same laser fluence, the two-layer film structure can change the damage threshold of the gold surface. Our results indicate that we can maximize the damage threshold of the gold film surface by altering the thickness ratio of the gold layer and the substrate layer in the two-layer film assembly.     

飞秒双脉冲激光照射金属薄膜的热行为

通过双温方程对飞秒单脉冲与双脉冲照射金薄膜进行了计算模拟分析,得到了金靶的电子温度和晶格温度随着时间空间的变化。在同样激光能量密度下,单脉冲与双脉冲使得金膜温度的变化表明双脉冲使得更多的激光能量渗透到靶材内部,这些能量可以使得烧蚀深度更深,有利于提高激光烧蚀靶材的效率。计算结果显示随着激光能量密度的增加熔化面深度逐渐增加,单脉冲与双脉冲熔化面深度的变化明显不同。在激光能量密度高于损伤阈值附近,单脉冲的烧蚀深度大于双脉冲的烧蚀深度,随着激光能量密度增加,双脉冲的烧蚀深度将大于单脉冲的烧蚀深度。     

Thermal characteristics of double-layer thin film target ablated by femtosecond laser pulses

Thermal characteristics of tightly-contacted copper--gold double-layer thin film target under ablation of femtosecond laser pulses are investigated by using a two-temperature theoretical model. Numerical simulation shows that electron heat flux varies significantly on the boundary of copper--gold film with different maximal electron temperature of 1.15×10³ K at 5 ps after ablating laser pulse in gold and copper films, which can reach a balance around 12.6 ps and 8.2 ps for a single and double pulse ablation, respectively, and in the meantime, the lattice temperature difference crossing the gold--copper interface is only about 0.04×10³ K at the same time scale. It is also found that electron--lattice heat relaxation time increases linearly with laser fluence in both single and double pulse ablation, and a sudden change of the relaxation time appears after the laser energy density exceeds the ablation threshold.     

热物性参量对飞秒激光烧蚀金属影响的分子动力学模拟

利用结合双温模型的分子动力学模拟方法,研究了飞秒激光与金属相互作用的烧蚀机制.采用中心波长为800 nm,能量密度从0.043 J·cm~(-2)到0.40 J·cm~(-2)不等,脉宽分别为70 fs和200 fs的激光烧蚀金属镍和铝材料.靶材的温度、原子位型以及内部压力随时间的演化展示了材料热物性参量特性和激光参量对烧蚀结果的影响.结果显示材料电子热传导率对飞秒脉宽激光下的影响仍然较大;对比铝和镍的结果可知,铝的电子晶格耦合系数比镍的小,故电子晶格间的温度梯度持续时间较长;铝的电子热传导系数比镍的大,所以材料上下表面电子温度耦合的时间缩短.铝薄膜表面在能量密度为0.40 J·cm~(-2)激光烧蚀下呈现纳米尺寸的晶体结构.     

数值模拟飞秒激光加热金属的热电子发射

研究了超短超强激光脉冲与薄膜靶相互作用中产生的电子热发射.当超短激光脉冲与薄膜靶相互作用时,首先入射超短脉冲激光对吸收深度内的自由电子进行热激发,接下来热激发电子将能量传递到附近的晶格,再通过电子和晶格二体系的热传导,以及电子晶格间的热耦合,将能量传递到材料的内部.因此,电子在皮秒级甚至更短的时间内不能与晶格进行能量耦合,使电子温度超出晶格温度很多,电子热发射就变得非常明显了.用双温方程联合Richardson-Dushman方程的方法对飞秒脉冲激光照射金属靶的电子热发射进行了研究,结果发现电子热发射对飞     

Non-Thermal Laser Ablation Model for Micro-Surgical Applications

We have developed a non-thermal laser ablation model which may reduce thermal damage to neighboring structures. Based on this model, the three critical parameters for a well controlled non-thermal microsurgery are (1) the laser wavelength with its photon energy matching closely the bond dissociation energy, (2) the energy fluence must be above threshold to avoid thermal process due to non-radiative relaxation from the excited electronic states to vibrational, (3) ultra short laser pulses (few fs) to completely eliminate thermal and direct biomolecular reactions. In this model the UV laser photon dissociates the molecular bonds which leads to the splitting of longer polymer chains into small fragments. The excess energy if any may appear as kinetic energy in the polymer-fragments. The extreme rapidity of the bond breaking process reduces heat conduction. The model establishes a relationship between ablation depth per pulse, the absorption coefficient, the incident laser energy fluence, and the threshold energy fluence. The ablation depths per pulse were calculated for the polymers Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and polyimide for various commercially available UV lasers. It has been found that the minimum ablations depth occurs at 193 nm for both PMMA and polyimide. This assures a well defined incision with minimal thermal damage to the surrounding structures at this wavelength. There exists a definite threshold energy fluence for non-thermal ablation for any given biomolecule and below the threshold the non-radiative relaxation process may cause thermal ablation. New ultra fast lasers (few femtoseconds) (fs) will completely eliminate thermal diffusion as well as direct biomolecular reactions.     

Ultrafast dynamics of thermionic emission on Au film under femtosecond laser excitation

A high-fidelity numerical model for investigations of the ultrafast heating is highly desirable for simulating the pulsed laser damage and the ultrafast electron emission characteristics. However, realization of accurate predictions of thermal dynamics and thermionic electron emission remains challenging due to the high non-equilibrium state, in which the equilibrium heating parameters are invalid. Here, we report an axisymmetric two-dimensional (2-D) high-fidelity numerical model for predictions of the thermionic emission with respect to the temperature-dependent dynamics parameters. The spatio-temporal temperature evolution dynamics and the thermionic emission rate characteristics on Au film target are demonstrated, whose credibility is approved by the Au film ablation threshold experiments.     

Analysis of thermal radiation from laser-heated nanoparticles formed by laser-induced decomposition of ferrocene

Thermal radiation, originating from laser-heated gas-phase nanoparticles, was detected in the 400–700 nm wavelength range by means of optical emission spectroscopy. The particles were formed upon laser-induced photolytic decomposition of ferrocene (Fe(C₅H₅)₂) and consisted of an iron core surrounded by a carbon shell. The laser-induced excitation was performed as the particles were still within the reactor zone, and the temperature of the particles could be determined from thermal emission. Both the temperature of the nanoparticles and the relative intensity changes of the emission were monitored as a function of time (with respect to the laser pulse), laser fluence and Ar ambient pressure. At high laser fluences, the particles reached high temperatures, and evidence was found for boiling of iron. Modeling of possible energy-releasing mechanisms such as black-body radiation, thermionic electron emission, evaporation and heat transfer by the ambient gas was also performed. The dominant cooling mechanisms at different ranges of temperature were clarified, together with a determination of the accommodation factor for the Ar–nanoparticle collisions. The strong evaporation at elevated temperatures also led to significant iron loss from the produced particles. PACS 61.46.+w; 81.16.Mk; 65.80.+n     

Femtosecond pulsed laser ablation of thin gold film

Laser micromachining on 1000 nm-thick gold film using femtosecond laser has been studied. The laser pulses that are used for this study are 400 nm in central wavelength, 150 fs in pulse duration, and the repetition rate is 1 kHz. Plano-concave lens with a focal length of 19 mm focuses the laser beam into a spot of 3 μm (1/e² diameter). The sample was translated at a linear speed of 400 μm/s during machining. Grooves were cut on gold thin film with laser pulses of various energies. The ablation depths were measured and plotted. There are two ablation regimes. In the first regime, the cutting is very shallow and the edges are free of molten material. While in the second regime, molten material appears and the cutting edges are contaminated. The results suggest that clean and precise microstructuring can be achieved with femtosecond pulsed laser by controlling the pulse energy in the first ablation regime.     

Femtosecond laser micromilling of Si wafers

Femtosecond laser micromilling of silicon is investigated using a regeneratively amplified 775 nm Ti:Sapphire laser with a pulse duration of 150 fs operating at 1 kHz repetition rate. The morphological observation and topological analysis of craters fabricated by single-shot laser irradiation indicated that the material removal is thermal in nature and there are two distinct ablation regimes of low fluence and higher fluence with logarithmical relations between the ablation depth and the laser fluence. Crater patterns were categorized into four characteristic groups and their formation mechanisms were investigated. Femtosecond laser micromilling of pockets in silicon was performed. The effect of process parameters such as pulse energy, translation speed, and the number of passes on the material removal rate and the formation of cone-shaped microstructures were investigated. The results indicate that the microstructuring mechanism has a strong dependence on the polarization, the number of passes and laser fluence. The optimal laser fluence range for Si micromilling was found to be 2-8 J/cm² and the milling efficiency attains its maximum between 10 and 20 J/cm².     

A new type of intense CO2 laser induced electron emission from a gold surface

We describe the first experimental demonstration of a strong, short duration electron emission from a gold surface irradiated by an intense nanosecond CO₂ laser pulse (λ = 10.6 μm). The emission can neither be explained by multiphoton photoeffect, nor by pure thermionic emission. We interpret it as a dynamic optical field emission process.     

短脉冲激光刻蚀加工铜材料的机制

 利用数值模拟方法，研究波长1 064 nm、脉冲宽度介于1~20 ps的激光在刻蚀铜靶时，单次脉冲作用下非平衡场刻蚀和热平衡刻蚀两种机制的竞争过程。结果表明：随着脉冲宽度的增加，刻蚀过程由非平衡电荷分离场刻蚀占主导地位转变为热平衡刻蚀起主要作用，且脉冲宽度和激光峰值功率密度增大到一定程度后，各种电子加速机制在不同时刻开始突显，电子能量分布出现多峰结构。在能量密度为15 J/cm2的激光作用下，1和5 ps脉宽对应的非平衡场刻蚀深度分别为110和101 nm，10和20 ps脉宽分别为25和18 nm。