A thermal model for the ablation of polymers by lasers and high intensity ion pulses

The results for the ablation of polymers by High-Intensity Pulsed Ion Beams (HIPIB) as well as by laser pulses of different wavelengths and pulse widths are discussed. A thermal model is proposed that reproduces all available experimental data. An Arrhenius type relation is assumed for the ablation velocityw(T) =w₀ exp (–T₁/T). Once the two parametersw₀ andT₁ are known for a certain polymer the model allows one to predict the ablation rate as a function of laser wavelength, fluence, and pulse width and for HIPIB pulses.