Experimental investigation of recoil-momentum-generation efficiency under near-IR femtosecond laser ablation of refractory metals in vacuum

The use of ultrashort laser pulses is a way to increase recoil momentum under laser ablation of materials, because, in this case, the energy deposition per unit volume of the target material is substantially higher due to reduced heat dissipation. By using methods of combined interferometry, we estimated the specific impulse (～200–900 s), momentum coupling coefficient (～2 × 10^?5?3 × 10^?4 Ns/J), laser-energy conversion efficiency to kinetic energy of the gas-plasma flow (～0.05–0.82), and degree of the gas-plasma flow monochromaticity (～0.72–0.92) under femtosecond (τ ～ 45 fs, λ ～ 800 nm) ablation of refractory metals (Ti, Zr, Mo, and Nb) in vacuum.     

Energy efficiency of femtosecond laser ablation of polymer materials

We present the results of an experimental study of the ablation spectral energy thresholds for a number of polymer materials ((C₂F₄) _n , (CH₂O) _n ) exposed to femtosecond (τ_0.5 ~ 45–70 fs) laser pulses (λ ~ 266, 400, 800 nm) under atmospheric conditions and under vacuum (p ~ 10–2 Pa). We have analyzed the energy thresholds and the efficiency of optical, thermophysical, and gasdynamic processes in laser ablation vs. the laser pulse duration and photon energy.     

Investigation of nanoparticle generation during femtosecond laser ablation of metals

The production of nanoparticles via femtosecond laser ablation of gold and copper is investigated experimentally involving measurements of the ablated mass, plasma diagnostics, and analysis of the nanoparticle size distribution. The targets were irradiated under vacuum with a spot of uniform energy distribution. Only a few laser pulses were applied to each irradiation site to make sure that the plume expansion dynamics were not altered by the depth of the laser-produced crater. Under these conditions, the size distribution of nanoparticles does not exhibit a maximum and the particle abundance monotonously decreases with size. Furthermore, the results indicate that two populations of nanoparticles exist within the plume: small clusters that are more abundant in the fast frontal plume component and larger particles that are located mostly at the back. It is shown that the ablation efficiency is strongly related to the presence of nanoparticles in the plume.     

Superresolved femtosecond laser ablation

The determinist behavior of the femtosecond ablation process allows morphing features well under the diffraction limit by utilizing the thresholding effect, down to the nanometer scale. Because there are a vast range of applications where scaling down the size of the features is a major concern, we investigate the use of superresolving pupil plane filters. As is well known, these filters redistribute the focused optical intensity for a narrower bright spot and, as a trade-off, increase the sidelobes. However, this drawback can be rendered insignificant if all the outer optical power is kept under the determinist threshold value. Two types of pure absorbing binary filter have been tried, giving credence to a size reduction of the ablations in fused silica.     

Lithographical laser ablation using femtosecond laser

Lithographical laser ablation was demonstrated using a femtosecond laser with a lithographical optical system. In this method, a femtosecond laser beam passes through a mask and the pattern is imaged on a film by a coherent optical system. As a result, the film is lithographically ablated, and a micron-sized pattern can be generated in a single shot. The resolution of generation was 13 m, and the narrowest width of a generated line was about 4 m. Moreover, the system was applied to transmission gratings as masks, and nano-sized periodic structures such as nano-sized hole matrices and nano-meshes were generated in a single shot. PACS 52.38.Mf; 42.25.Hz; 42.82.Cr; 81.16.-c     

Hydrodynamic modeling of femtosecond laser ablation of metals in vacuum and in liquid

We numerically examine the mechanisms involved in nanoparticle formation by laser ablation of metallic targets in vacuum and in liquid. We consider the very early ablation stage providing initial conditions for much longer plume expansion processes. In the case of ultrashort laser ablation, the initial population of primary nanoparticles is formed at this stage. When a liquid is present, the dynamics of the laser plume expansion differs from that in vacuum. Low compressibility of the ambient liquid results in strong confinement conditions. As a result, ablation threshold rises drastically, the ablated material is compressed, part of it becomes supersaturated and the backscattered material additionally heats the target. The extension of a molten layer leads to the additional ablation at a later stage also favoring nanoparticle formation. The obtained results thus explain recent experimental findings and help to predict the role of the experimental parameters. The performed analysis indicates ways of a control over nanoparticle synthesis.     

Langmuir probe investigation of surface contamination effects on metals during femtosecond laser ablation

Characterisation of the plasma plume induced by femtosecond laser-metal interactions has been carried out using a Langmuir probe. A double peak distribution of ablated ions and electrons has been recorded during time of flight (TOF) experiments for three metals studied (Ag, Cu and Ni). The first peak which occurs earliest in time is attributed to a surface layer of contaminants on the metal surface as it is shown to disappear after several laser shots. The re-growth of this peak, thought to be due to a recontamination process on the surface of the metal, is the subject of this paper. Two re-contamination mechanisms were considered; adsorption of contaminants from the ambient gas, and surface diffusion effects from the surrounding contaminants. Re-contamination rates for Ag, Cu and Ni were studied under two distinct gas pressures to investigate the contamination effects from the ambient. Effects arising from surface diffusion were investigated by raising the temperature of the metal sample to increase the surface mobility of the contaminants. The total contribution of contamination species present in the ablation plume was estimated by conducting angular distribution measurements of the plume. Surface diffusion of the surrounding contaminants was found to be the dominant recontamination process.     

Experimental investigation of ablation efficiency and plasma expansion during femtosecond and nanosecond laser ablation of silicon

Femtosecond laser (Ti:sapphire, 100 fs pulse duration) ablation of silicon in air was compared with nanosecond laser (Nd:YAG, 3 ns pulse duration) ablation at ultraviolet wavelength (266 nm). Laser ablation efficiency was studied by measuring crater depth as a function of pulse number. For the same number of laser pulses, the fs-ablated crater was about two times deeper than the ns-crater. The temperature and electron number density of the laser-induced plasma were determined from spectroscopic measurements. The electron number density and temperature of fs-induced plasmas decreased faster than ns-induced plasmas due to different energy deposition mechanisms. Images of the laser-induced plasma were obtained with femtosecond time-resolved laser shadowgraph imaging. Plasma expansion in both the perpendicular and the lateral directions were compared. PACS 52.38.Mf; 52.30.-q     

Correlation between ablation efficiency and nanoparticle generation during the short-pulse laser ablation of metals

The mechanisms of material ablation and nanoparticle generation from metal samples exposed to intense short laser pulses are experimentally investigated. We performed measurements of the ablated volume using optical microscopy and the analysis of the ablation plume by fast imaging. The results confirm the existence of two distinguished ablation regimes as a function of the laser fluence, and give a deeper insight in the involved physical mechanisms. Thus, both regimes are found to be related to the relative amount of atoms and nanoparticles within the plume. Comparing the results obtained for copper and gold, it is possible to determine the influence of electron-lattice coupling on the sample heat regime and the resulting plume properties.     

Phase transitions in femtosecond laser ablation

In this study we simulate an interaction of femtosecond laser pulses (100 fs, 800 nm, 0.1-10 J/cm²) with metal targets of Al, Au, Cu, and Ni. For analysis of laser-induced phase transitions, melting and shock waves propagation as well as material decomposition we use an Eulerian hydrocode in conjunction with a thermodynamically complete two-temperature equation of state with stable and metastable phases. Isochoric heating, material evaporation from the free surface of the target and fast propagation of the melting and shock waves are observed. On rarefaction the liquid phase becomes metastable and its lifetime is estimated using the theory of homogeneous nucleation. Mechanical spallation of the target material at high strain rates is also possible as a result of void growth and confluence. In our simulation several ablation mechanisms are taken into account but the main issue of the material is found to originate from the metastable liquid state. It can be decomposed either into a liquid-gas mixture in the vicinity of the critical point, or into droplets at high strain rates and negative pressure. The simulation results are in agreement with available experimental findings.     

Dynamics of mid-infrared femtosecond laser resonant ablation

Resonant ablation is beneficial to avoiding uncontrollable subsurface damages in the laser ablation of polymers. In this paper the dynamics of mid-infrared laser resonant ablation of polylactic acid and toluene was calculated by using fluid dynamic equations. The merits and drawbacks of mid-infrared femtosecond laser resonant ablation of high molecular weight polymers have been discussed.     

Neutrals ejection in intense femtosecond laser ablation

Time-resolved shadowgraphs and holograms of intense femtosecond laser ablation of aluminum are reported. The different bending trends of interference fringes are found in the ablations of aluminum and other materials at probe wavelengths of 400 and 800 nm, for the first time to our knowledge, which could be attributed to the ejection of massive neutral droplets induced by critical-point phase separation during the second material ejection.     

Metal absorptivity in femtosecond pulsed laser ablation

In this paper, the effect of the absorptivity of metal on femtosecond pulsed laser ablation is investigated. The formulas for the absorptivity depending on target temperature are derived from Maxwell Equations and the Lambert-Beer’s law. Based on this, a new two-temperature model is proposed to describe the femtosecond pulsed laser ablation with metal. Then, using Au as an example, a finite difference method is employed to simulate the space-dependent and time-dependent absorptivity and the target temperature. The temperature evolution of our model is compared with the result obtained form the heat conduction model taking the absorptivity as constant. It is shown that the absorptivity plays an important role in the femtosecond pulsed laser ablation. The results of this paper are helpful in choosing the best technical parameters in femtosecond pulsed laser ablation.      

Dynamics of laser desorption and ablation of metals at the threshold on the femtosecond time scale

The dynamics of the laser-ablation (-desorption) process of metals (Al, Ag, Fe, and Ni) initiated by 30 fs laser pulses has been investigated by interferometric time-resolved pump-probe measurements. It is postulated that a sufficiently high density of hot electrons is essential for achieving desorption of metal ions. In addition, we have observed a new and unexpected behavior characterized by delayed ablation for a pump-probe beam delay in the range of several ps for Al, Ni, and Fe. This second peak is attributed to the development of a liquid surface layer developing after a few ps. Molecular dynamics simulations support this assumption.     

Adaptive control of femtosecond laser ablation plasma emission

The influence of temporal pulse shaping on plasma plume generated by ultrafast laser irradiation of aluminum is investigated. Time resolved plasma emission spectroscopy is coupled with a temporal shaping procedure in a closed loop. The ionic emission is enhanced relative to the neutral one via an adaptive optimization strategy. The plasma emission efficiency in case of optimized and ultrashort temporal shapes of the laser pulses are compared, evidencing an enhancement of the ionization degree of the plasma plume. Simplified temporal shapes of the femtosecond laser pulses are extracted from the optimized shape and their corresponding effect on laser induced plasma emission is discussed.     

Applications of femtosecond Bessel beams to laser ablation

We demonstrate the fabrication of graphene-carbon nanotubes (CNTs) composite-based flexible transparent conductive films (GC-TCFs) and their improved durability on repetitive strain. The graphene and CNTs are synthesized using thermal chemical vapor deposition. To fabricate GC-TCFs, the graphenes are transferred and the CNTs are successively spray-deposited on polymer substrates, respectively. The change of electrical property of the TCFs is investigated as the response of repetitive strain loading and unloading. The sheet resistance of the GC-TCFs is much lower than CNT-based TCFs, owing to the lower contact resistance. In addition, when the cyclic strain is applied on the GC-TCFs, the films show improved durability in electrical property compared to graphene-based TCFs. Finally, the coated CNTs act as one dimensional conductive path across the cracks, which prevent electrical degradation during the repetitive strain application.     

Surface ablation of lithium tantalate by femtosecond laser

We report measurements of the laser induced breakdown threshold in lithium tantalate with different number of pulses delivered from a chirped pulse amplification Ti: sapphire system. The threshold fluences were determined from the relation between the diameter D² of the ablated area and the laser fluence F₀. The threshold of lithium tantalite under single-shot is found to be 1.84 J/cm², and the avalanche rate was determined to be 1.01 cm²/J by calculation. We found that avalanche dominates the ablation process, while photoionization serves as a free electron provider.     

Sub-picosecond UV laser ablation of metals

Laser ablation of Nickel, Copper, Molybdenum, Indium, Tungsten and Gold by short ultraviolet laser pulses (0.5 ps, 248 nm) in vacuum is reported for the first time. For Nickel and Indium, ablation is also studied in air to demonstrate the influence of the ambient atmosphere. Metal ablation in air is significantly less efficient than in vacuum due to redeposition of ablated material. The ablation rates in vacuum are discussed using a thermal model, which also allows to estimate ablation rates for other metals from basic optical and thermal properties. A comparison of the morphology of ablation sites after nanosecond and sub-picosecond ablation shows unequivocally the advantages of short-pulse laser ablation for high-precision patterning of thermally good conducting materials in micron-scale dimensions.     

采用飞秒激光诱导制备彩色金属

采用脉宽为35～65fs,中心波长为800nm的飞秒脉冲激光对经抛光的镍片进行表面扫描处理,并在金属表面上制备了彩色镍图案;设置不同的激光扫描速度和能量密度扫描处理不锈钢表面,亦制备了彩色图案。介绍了实验过程,分析了实验结果,扫描电子显微镜（SEM）形貌分析显示,经过飞秒激光扫描处理的金属表面出现了纳米量级的激光诱导周期表面结构（NC—LIPSS）,在镍上形成的结构周期约为480—510nm,在不锈钢上形成的结构周期约为480～540nm。