Simulation of elastic displacement of surface during laser short pulse heating of gold

The laser short pulse heating initiates nonequilibrium heating of the substrate material, which in turn results in the thermal stresses developing in the region below the surface. The surface temperature can be measured possibly through the monitoring of the resulting surface displacement. This requires in detail investigation into the surface displacement and surface temperature rises across the heated spot during the laser short pulse heating process. In the present study, the laser short pulse heating of gold surface is considered and the temperature rise at the surface and elastic displacement of the surface are investigated. The spatial and temporal distributions of surface displacement and surface temperature are predicted and the elastic response of the substrate material due to temperature rise is explored. It is found that the temporal and spatial distributions of the surface displacement do not follow the temperature rise at the surface. Consequently, care should be taken when measuring the temperature rise at the surface by means of monitoring the surface displacement during a laser short pulse heating process.