Role of Bulk Vaporization in the Dynamics of Laser-Induced Erosion Plumes of Metals

In different regimes of exposure of metals to pulsed laser radiation, we show the role played by the liquid-drop phase formed from the target material in a laser-induced erosion plume due to bulk vaporization, in the dynamics of this plume. For some metals, the ranges of power densities of the acting laser radiation, at which the condensed-phase particles influence the passage of laser radiation to the target surface, have been determined experimentally. The mechanism of realization of a low-threshold breakdown has been revealed.