Thermoelectric temperature measurements in laser pulsed heating of metals

Measurements of temperature pulses following focused laser irradiation on metals were performed with a specially designed thermocouple. This detector had a hot junction of an average of 5 μ in size and a rise time of less than 1 μsec. Experimental results are compared to thermal-model predictions calculated numerically. Thermal responses were also measured for laser intensities above the damage threshold of the material, in close vicinity of the damaged area. This demonstrates possible applications of the experimental technique to the investigation of damage mechanisms.