Vaporization and Plasma Shielding during High Power Nanosecond Laser Ablation of Silicon and Nickel

A thermal model to describe the high-power nanosecond pulsed laser ablation is presented. It involves the vaporization and the following plasma shielding effect on the whole ablation process. As an example of Si target, we obtainthe time evolution of the calculated surface temperature, ablation rate and ablation depth. It can be seen that plasma shielding plays a more important role in the ablation process with time. At the same time, the ablation depth with laser fluence based on different models is shown. Moreover, we simulate the pulsed laser irradiation Ni target. The evolution of the transmitted intensity and the variation of ablation depth per pulse with laser fluence are performed. Under the same experimental conditions, the numerical results calculated with our thermal model are more in agreement with the experimental data.     

ArF-excimer laser ablation experiments on Cycloolefin Copolymer (COC)

To determine the capability of Cycloolefin Copolymer (COC) for excimer laser microstructuring, ablation experiments have been performed at 193 nm using an ArF excimer laser workstation. A matrix of square holes was structured in COC, the ablated structures were examined qualitatively and quantitatively by optical methods and scanning electron microscopy. It turned out that COC can be structured with high accuracy and is therefore suited for laser rapid prototyping of micro optical and microfluidic devices. The maximum ablation depth of COC (0.17 μm/pulse) is smaller than of PMMA (0.58 μm/pulse), but is sufficient for prototyping and allows fine depth tuning. Flat structures less than 200-μm deep nearly show no amount of redeposited material and yield smooth surfaces.     

A fast and accurate method for the determination of precious alloys caratage by Laser Induced Plasma Spectroscopy

The purpose of this paper is to present a new and efficient technique for precious alloys caratage based on the Laser Induced Plasma Spectroscopy (LIPS) method. The LIPS analysis can be carried out in few minutes and in an essentially non-destructive way on samples of arbitrary shape. Experimental results showing the feasibility of the method for fast and precise analysis of gold jewellery without the need of calibration are presented. Using a new technique of LIPS spectra analysis, recently developed and patented by the Applied Laser Spectroscopy Laboratory at IFAM, we were able to obtain quantitative information about all the alloy components, including trace elements at concentration down to the order of 1 ppm. Matrix effects do not affect the accuracy of the technique. Received 10 July 2000 and Received in final form 13 November 2000     

Experimental study on laser cleaning of paint layer on white marble surface北大核心CSCD

In order to effectively remove the surface paint of the cultural relic of white marble, the area extrapolation method and laser-induced plasma spectroscopy (LIPS) method were used to obtain the ablation threshold power of the gold, silver paint layer and white marble surface. On the basis of this, the optimal laser power for removing paint without damaging the white marble substrate was determined. The image processing method was used to study the cleaning degree and variation trend of cleaning rate of the gold and silver paint on the surface of 10 mm×10 mm white marble by laser cleaning, and the optimal laser spot overlap rate and the optimal cleaning times were obtained. Finally, the image processing method was used to evaluate the cleaning effect of laser cleaning of paint layer on the white marble surface. More than 93% of the cleaning degree shows that the synergistic use of the area extrapolation method, LIPS method and image processing method can effectively improve the laser cleaning efficiency of the paint layer on white marble surface. Copyright ©2022 Journal of Applied Optics. All rights reserved.     

Theoretical determination of the ablation rate of metals in multiple-nanosecond laser pulses irradiation regime

A detailed understanding of the physical determinants of the ablation rate in multiple nanosecond laser pulses regime is of key importance for technological applications such as patterning and pulsed-laser deposition. Here, theoretical modeling is employed to investigate the ablation of thick metallic plates by intense, multiple nanosecond laser pulses. A new photo-thermal model is proposed, in which the complex phenomena associated to the ablation process are accounted for as supplementary terms of the classical heat equation. The pulsed laser ablation in the nanosecond regime is considered as a competition between thermal vapourization and melt ejection under the action of the plasma recoil pressure. Computer simulations using the photo-thermal model presented here and the comparison of the theoretical results with experiment indicate two different mechanisms that contribute to the decrease of the ablation efficiency. First, during the ablation process the vapour/plasma plume expanding above the irradiated target attenuates the laser beam that reaches the sample, leading to a marked decrease of the ablation efficiency. Additional attenuation of the laser beam incident on the sample is produced due to the heating of the plasma by the absorption of the laser beam into the plasma plume. The second mechanism by which the ablation efficiency decreases consists of the reduction of the incident laser intensity with the lateral area, and of the melt ejection velocity with the depth of the hole.     

Atmospheric pressure argon plasma-assisted enhancement of laser ablation of aluminum

In this paper, we present a hybrid laser-plasma ablation method for material processing applications. For this purpose, a coaxial configuration consisting of a low-temperature atmospheric pressure argon plasma beam and a Nd:YAG-laser at a wavelength of 355 nm was used. Both pure laser ablation and hybrid laser-plasma ablation experiments were performed on aluminum at different laser energies and numbers of laser pulses. In the case of hybrid ablation, both the depth and volume ablation rates were increased significantly in comparison to pure laser ablation. This effect is described by a linear interrelationship of both the ablation rate and the particularly applied laser energy and is thus due to energetic synergies. Such behavior can be explained by the de-excitation of argon plasma species and an accompanying energy deposition at the generated debris and the sample surface. The energetic effect was found to abate with increasing ablation depth. However, considerable improvements in terms of ablation rate are achieved in the near-surface depth range of approx. 500 microns.     

Periodic nanostructures on Si(100) surfaces generated by high-repetition rate sub-15 fs pulsed near-infrared laser light

Nanoscale rifts and ripples at a periodicity of 130 nm were generated on Si(100) surfaces immersed in water using tightly focused 800 nm 12 fs pulsed 85 MHz laser light at subnanojoule pulse energies. At radiant exposure close to the ablation threshold rifts were typically 20-50 nm in width and 70 nm in depth running perpendicular to the laser polarization. On increase of the irradiance, the rifts broadened and formed periodic ripples, whereas at highest exposure, a random nanoporous surface topology emerged. Rift and ripple formation is explained by laser-induced standing surface plasma waves, which result in periodic variation of dissipation and ablation.     

�����������ʵ�����ģ�ͼ���ֵ����

建立了计算托卡马克加料中弹丸消融的物理模型,结合1维输运模型编制了1.5维弹丸消融计算机模拟代码。使用ITER-FEAT的相关参数,对半径为6mm,初速度为2000m·s?1,从低磁场侧注入弹丸的消融速率进行了模拟计算。结果显示,弹丸消融速率先随注入深度而逐渐增大,最大消融速率约6×1026s?1,然后由于弹丸半径的减小,消融速率迅速减小,穿透深度约0.45m。这一结果与中性气体屏蔽模型(NGS)的结果一致,证明计算代码正确有效。同时,从计算结果反映出,对ITER这样的堆级托卡马克,采用常规弹丸注入方式,尽管速度高达2000m·s?1,穿透深度也远未达到等离子体中心,因此应采取其他有效措施来提高等离子体加料效率。     

弹丸消融速率的理论模型及数值计算

建立了计算托卡马克加料中弹丸消融的物理模型,结合1维输运模型编制了1.5维弹丸消融计算机模拟代码。使用ITER-FEAT的相关参数,对半径为6mm,初速度为2000m•s^-1,从低磁场侧注入弹丸的消融速率进行了模拟计算。结果显示,弹丸消融速率先随注入深度而逐渐增大,最大消融速率约6×10²⁶s^-1,然后由于弹丸半径的减小,消融速率迅速减小,穿透深度约0.45m。这一结果与中性气体屏蔽模型(NGS)的结果一致,证明计算代码正确有效。同时,从计算结果反映出,对ITER这样的堆级托卡马克,采用常规弹丸注入方式,尽管速度高达2000m•s^-1,穿透深度也远未达到等离子体中心,因此应采取其他有效措施来提高等离子体加料效率。     

Thermal model for nanosecond laser sputtering at high fluences

The vaporization effect and the following plasma shielding generated by high-power nanosecond pulsed laser ablation are studied in detail based on the heat flux equation. As an example of Si target, we obtain the time evolution of the calculated surface temperature, ablation rate and ablation depth by solving the heat flow equations using a finite difference method. It can be seen that plasma shielding plays a more important role in the ablation process with time. At the same time, the variation of ablation depth per pulse with laser fluence is performed. Our numerical results are more agreed with the experiment datum than other simulated results. The result shows that the plasma shielding is very important.     

Quantification issues in the identification of nanoscale regions of homopolymers using modulus measurement via AFM nanoindentation

Since 1989, AFMs have been used to map the nanomechanical properties of surfaces using measurements such as force-distance curves. Quantification of the force and elastic parameters are critical to the nanomechanical analysis and positive identification of materials at the nanoscale, as well as for assessing behaviour at surfaces. In recent years, there have been AFM papers publishing “quantitative” values for the indentation modulus, however, many involved large uncertainties arising from the lack of calibration of key components, the use of manufacturers’ nominal values for these components or the use of incorrect models. This paper addresses the quantification issues in modulus measurement at surfaces for homogeneous materials using force-distance curves and how to do this with sufficient accuracy to identify materials at the nanoscale. We review the available theory and describe two routes to quantitative modulus measurement using both the AFM on its own and the AFM combined with a nanoindenter. The first involves the direct measurement of modulus using a fully calibrated instrument and allows depth analysis. The second uses indirect measurement through calibration by reference materials of known reduced modulus. For depth analysis by this second route, these reference moduli need to be known as a function of depth. We show that, using the second route, an unknown polymer may be analysed using the nanoindenter, its modulus determined and, providing the moduli of the polymers to be identified or distinguished differ by more than 20%, identified with 95% confidence. We recommend that users evaluate a set of reference samples using a traceable nanoindenter via the first route, and then use these to calibrate the AFM by the second route for identification of nano-regions using the AFM.     

基于中阶梯光栅光谱仪的激光诱导等离子体分析系统研究

为了满足激光诱导等离子体分析系统(LIPS)对分光系统的分辨率,光谱范围,体积等多方面要求。本文研制了一台中阶梯光栅光谱仪,该光谱仪能同时获得所有谱段范围内的光谱信息,令LIPS系统可实现快速在线实时分析。并且,该光谱仪采用可调节延迟时间的ICCD作为后端探测器,令整个系统可根据实际实验情况选择最优延迟时间接收光谱,提高了整个系统的信噪比。最后,搭建了一套激光诱导等离子体分析系统,对研制的中阶梯光栅光谱仪在系统中的可用性进行验证。通过对合金样品测试,整个系统的分辨率达0.02 nm,光谱范围覆盖190～600 nm。并且研制的LIPS系统光谱重复性较好,特征元素波长提取误差不超过0.01 nm,可较准确的对样品成分进行分析。     

Thermo-mechanical laser ablation of soft biological tissue: modeling the micro-explosions

Characteristics of thermo-mechanical laser ablation process are investigated using an original numerical model. In contrast with previous models, it is based on a microscopic physical model of the micro-explosion process, which combines thermodynamic behavior of tissue water with elastic response of the solid tissue components. Diffusion of dissipated heat is treated in one dimension, and the amount of thermal damage is assessed using the Arrhenius model of the protein denaturation kinetics. Influence of the pulse fluence and duration on temperature profile development, ablation threshold, and depth of thermal damage is analyzed for the case of Er:YAG laser irradiation of human skin. Influence of mechanical properties on the ablation threshold of soft tissue is predicted theoretically for the first time. In addition, feasibility of deep tissue coagulation with a repetitively pulsed Er:YAG laser is indicated from the model. Received: 9 July 1998 / Revised version: 26 February 1999 / Published online: 26 May 1999     

Fabrication of uniform nanogrooves on 6H-SiC by femtosecond laser ablation

The fabrication of parallel deep nanogrooves on 6H-SiC by femtosecond laser ablation (λ=785 nm) is reported. The periodicity of the nanogrooves was measured to be about 200±20 nm and the depth exceeded 15 μm. The nanogrooves have high uniformity in size and pattern over the entire depth. Laser fluence is found to be the critical parameter to obtain these deep and regular nanogrooves. The feasibility for large area fabrication of nanogrooves by femtosecond laser ablation is demonstrated.     

A model of laser ablation with temperature-dependent material properties,vaporization, phase explosion and plasma shielding

Laser ablation of metals using nanosecond pulses occurs mainly due to vaporization. However, at high fluences, when the target is heated close to its critical temperature, phase explosion also occurs due to homogeneous nucleation. Due to a wide variation in target temperature, the material properties also show a considerable variation. In this paper, a model of laser ablation is presented that considers vaporization and phase explosion as mechanisms of material removal and also accounts for the variation in material properties up to critical temperature using some general and empirical theories. In addition, plasma shielding due to inverse bremsstrahlung and photo-ionization is considered. The model predicts accurately (within 5 %) the phase explosion threshold fluence of Al. The predictions of ablation depth by the model are in reasonable agreement with experimental measurements at low fluences. Whereas, the degree of error marginally increases at high laser fluences.     

脉冲激光烧蚀Ge产生等离子体特性的数值模拟

 针对激光烧蚀半导体材料Ge初期的特点,建立了1维的热传导和流体动力学模型。对波长为248 nm、脉宽为17 ns、峰值功率密度为4×10⁸ W/cm²的KrF脉冲激光在133.32 Pa氦气环境下烧蚀Ge产生等离子体的特性进行了数值模拟。结果表明：单个激光脉冲对靶的烧蚀深度达到55 nm,蒸气膨胀前端由于压缩背景气体产生压缩冲击波, 波前的速度最大,温度很高。从不同时刻的电离率分布图中得出,在靶面附近区域,Ge的1阶电离始终占优势;在中心区域,脉冲作用时间内,Ge的2阶电离率比1阶电离率大,脉冲结束后,Ge的2阶电离率下降,1阶电离率逐渐变大。     

Porphyrin-sensitized laser swelling and ablation of polymer films

Laser-induced morphological changes of poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(N-vinylcarbazole), and gelatin films doped with porphyrins have been studied by etch depth measurement and scanning electron microscopy. An irreversible swelling of the irradiated surface was observed for all films in the case of low laser fluence. The swelling was replaced by ablation when the fluence was increased. The etch depth depends on the irradiation fluence and the dye concentration in the polymer. The observation of the irradiated surfaces suggests that the thermal effect is predominant both for swelling and ablation. The surface temperature at which swelling or ablation is initiated was estimated, assuming that these morphological changes take place at a certain temperature for any dye concentration in each polymer film.     

Simulation of laser ablation in aluminum: the effectivity of double pulses

Lasers are becoming a more and more important tool in cutting and shaping materials. Improving precision and effectivity is an ongoing demand in science and industry. One possibility is double pulses. Here, we study laser ablation of aluminum by the two-temperature model. There the laser is modeled as a source in a continuum heat conduction equation for the electrons, whose temperature then is transferred to a molecular dynamics particle model by an electron–phonon coupling term. The melting and ablation effectivity is investigated depending on the relative intensity and the time delay between two Gaussian shaped laser pulses. It turns out that at least for aluminum the optimal pulse shapes are standard Gaussian pulses. For double pulses with delay times up to 200 ps, we find a behavior as observed in experiment: The ablation depth decreases beyond a delay of 10 ps even if one does not account for the weakening at the second pulse due to laser–plasma interaction.     

XeCl laser ablation of yttria stabilized zirconia

XeCl laser ablation of yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) in air and in vacuum (1.3×10^–4 Pa) is studied by means of etch depth measurements, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of ablated surfaces. Results on ablation rate, surface morphology, and surface chemical composition are discussed in terms of the influence of ambient atmosphere on the ablation process, rapid melting and solidification of ablated surfaces, and preferential removal of oxygen atoms from the YSZ surface.     

Ultrafast dynamics control on ablation of Cu using shaped femtosecond pulse trains

The ablation processes of Cu film are investigated using temporal shaped femtosecond pulse trains. The depth is modulated by changing the number and interval of the sub-pulses. The underlying ultrafast dynamic processes are discussed based on plasma shielding and electron multiple heating mechanisms. When the sub-pulse interval is less than 0.4 ps electron multiple heating is the dominant mechanism, while the plasma shielding dominates the subsequent ablation processes when the sub-pulse interval is larger than 0.4 ps. The curve of depth obtained by three pulse trains shows more significant oscillation as the function of sub-pulse interval under the low-fluence. We propose that the oscillation of depth is due to the coherent phonon oscillation excited by the pulse train. The study provides a basis for giving insight into the ultrafast dynamics for improving micromachining and nano-fabrications using shaped femtosecond pulse trains.