Microscopic phenomena found within enclosed surface laser ablation of 20 nm thick aluminium films

This paper investigates the microscopic features which occur when a four-layered film is ablated using Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. The four-layered films consist of a vacuum-deposited aluminium layer (0.02 μm) upon an oriented polypropylene (OPP) film (30 μm) which has been laminated using an inert adhesive and a second OPP film. Laser radiation is absorbed principally by the aluminium layer, melting and/or vaporising it. Upon cooling, the aluminium layer is rearranged into discrete microscopic particles, which give laser-treated areas of the film a transparent appearance. Within the films are found microscopic features, which can be divided into three distinct types: aluminium demetallisation features, polymer distortion features and particle features. Features from each of these categories can exist within a single laser track depending upon the laser parameters used for transparentisation.