Emission enhancement ratio of the metal irradiated by femtosecond double-pulse laser

A numerical solution of the two-temperature model has been performed up to the double-pulse femtosecond laser heated metal target. The two-temperature model is used to analyze the double-pulse laser with the following major conclusions. We confirm the distinctly different results on the single pulse and double pulse. The double-pulse laser heated lattice temperature is higher than the single pulse. Through the Boltzmann equation, we estimate the variation of the emission enhancement. At the same time, this experimental result is qualitatively similar to the theoretical result.     

Lattice deformation from interaction with electrons heated by an ultrashort laser pulse

We propose a model describing the destruction of metals under ultrashort intense laser pulses when heated electrons affect the lattice through the direct electron-phonon interaction. The metal consists of hot electrons and a cool lattice. The lattice deformation is estimated immediately after the laser pulse up to the electron temperature relaxation time. The hot electrons are described with help of the Boltzmann and heat conduction equations. We use an equation of motion for the lattice displacements with the electron force included. Estimates of the lattice deformation show that the ablation regime can be achieved. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 66, No. 3, 195–199 (10 August 1997) Published in English in the original Russian journal. Edited by Steve Torstveit.     

Electron-lattice kinetics of metals heated by ultrashort laser pulses

We propose a kinetic model of transient nonequilibrium phenomena in metals exposed to ultrashort laser pulses when heated electrons affect the lattice through direct electron-phonon interaction. This model describes the destruction of a metal under intense laser pumping. We derive the system of equations for the metal, which consists of hot electrons and a cold lattice. Hot electrons are described with the help of the Boltzmann equation and equation of thermoconductivity. We use the equations of motion for lattice displacements with the electron force included. The lattice deformation is estimated immediately after the laser pulse up to the time of electron temperature relaxation. An estimate shows that the ablation regime can be achieved. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 115, 149–157 (January 1999) Published in English in the original Russian journal. Reproduced here with stylistic changes by the Translation Editor.     

Laser-induced thermal stresses on steel surface

In laser heat treatment of steels, a thin surface layer of austenite forms during heating and subsequent phase change process in the cooling period. However, thermal stress develops due to high-temperature gradient attainment in the surface vicinity which in turn results in microcrack development at the surface. The present study is carried out to compute the temperature profiles due to step input pulse laser radiation and determine the resulting thermal stresses. The study is extended to include three-step input pulses having the same energy content. This provides the comparison for the influence of the pulse length on the resulting thermal stresses. To validate the theoretical predictions, an experiment is conducted to irradiate the AISI 4142 steel surface by an Nd–YAG laser. Microphotography and EDS analysis of the heated regions are carried out. It is found that considerable thermal stress is eveloped at the workpiece surface due to attainment of high-temperature gradient in this region. In addition, microcracks are observed at the surface of the irradiated spot.     

超短脉冲激光辐照硅膜的热弹性

 考虑到热电子崩力的影响,在基于玻耳兹曼理论弛豫时间近似的非线性自相关模型基础上,将晶格温度与应变速率相耦合,建立了超短脉冲激光作用下半导体材料的超快热弹性模型。在单轴应变条件下,利用有限差分法模拟了500 fs脉冲激光作用下2 μm厚硅膜内的载流子温度、晶格温度、载流子数密度、热应力和热电子崩力等的变化情况。结果表明：在低能量密度激光条件下,热弹性效应对半导体材料的影响很小;载流子温度达到峰值的时间比激光强度达到峰值的时间早,随后载流子数密度达到峰值,以及激光脉冲作用5 ps以后硅膜趋于总体热平衡;在脉冲辐照早期,非热平衡阶段形成的热电子崩力在超快损伤过程中起主要作用。     

Effect of phonon spectrum heating on the formation of laser-induced electron plasma in wide-gap insulators

The effect of lattice heating by laser pulses on the dynamics of electron plasma generation in transparent solids has been theoretically studied. Several ways of taking into account the contribution of the phonon spectrum heating to the electron avalanche dynamics, depending on the type of the effective (with respect to the field energy transfer to electrons) phonons and laser pulse duration, have been proposed. A comparative analysis of the results of Monte Carlo computation of electron gas heating in the laser pulse field, which were obtained for cold and heated lattices, has been performed. It is shown that the consideration of the effect of lattice heating on the probabilities of electron-phonon and electron-phonon-photon scattering leads to an increase in the avalanche rate, which is more pronounced at longer wavelengths of the incident radiation and under longer laser pulses. Some qualitative features of the redistribution of the energy, absorbed during a pulse, between the electron plasma and lattice are revealed, which suggest initiation of irreversible microscopic changes in the insulator. In particular, the ratio R of the energy accumulated in the electron subsystem to the excess (with respect to the initial equilibrium state) energy in the phonon subsystem has been calculated for different initial lattice temperatures. It is shown that this ratio increases with a decrease in the laser wavelength in the computation scheme with lattice heating disregarded and decreases at all pulse durations when the lattice heating is taken into account.     

Deformation of the Raman scattering spectrum of Ih ice under local laser heating near 0°C

The Raman band of Nd:YAG laser second-harmonic scattering from the O-H stretching vibrations of hexagonal ice was observed to broaden asymmetrically by 90 cm^?1 near 0°C with the pulse repetition frequency increasing from 1 to 8 Hz. The center of this band was found to undergo simultaneously a Stokes shift by 25 cm^?1. The observed spectral features can be accounted for by the ice being heated by pulsed laser radiation through the electrocaloric effect, because the one-photon absorption mechanism produces a negligible contribution.     

Numerical Simulation of Shock Wave Generation for Ignition of Precompressed Laser Fusion Target

In this work, we investigate the formation of a converging shock wave in a homogeneous spherical target, whose outer layer was heated by a flux of monoenergetic fast electrons of a given particle energy. Ablation pressure generating the wave forms at spherical expansion of a layer of a heated substance, whose areal density remains constant throughout the entire heating process and equal to the product of the initial heating depth and density of the target. The studies are carried out based on numerical calculations using a one-dimensional hydrodynamic code as applied to ignition of a precompressed target by a shock wave (shock ignition), one of the most promising techniques of laser fusion ignition.     

Ablated matter expansion and crater formation under the action of ultrashort laser pulse

The action of a subpicosecond laser pulse on a target made of an absorbing condensed substance is considered. The propagation of an electron heat conduction wave and the crystal lattice heating prior to the hydrodynamic expansion of the target are analyzed. In these initial interaction stages, a heated layer with a thickness of d _T is formed at the target surface. The dependence of d _T on the absorbed laser energy density F[J/cm²] is evaluated. The motion of ablated matter in the expansion stage is described using a numerical solution of the equations of gasdynamics and the results of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The MD simulations are performed using a large number (～10³) of parallel processors, which allows the number of model atoms to be increased up to a level (about 3.5 × 10⁷) close to that encountered under real experimental conditions.     

fs Laser surface nano-structuring of high refractory ceramics to enhance solar radiation absorbance

The surface and structural modification of titanium (Ti) has been explored after the interaction of ultrashort laser pulses with the surface target. The targets were exposed by femtosecond Ti: Sapphire laser pulses in liquid (ethanol) and dry (air) environment. In order to explore the effect of pulse energy, the targets were exposed to 1,000 succeeding pulses for various pulse energies ranging from 200 to 500 μJ for pulse duration of 25 fs. SEM analyses were performed for central as well as the peripheral ablated areas of the target. It was found that in the case of ethanol (both for central and peripheral ablated areas) there is a grain growth along with nanoscale pores and dots when the target was irradiated for 200 μJ. For intermediate energies (300–400 μJ), grains of 1–2 μm with distinct boundaries are formed in the central ablated area. Whereas in the peripheral ablated area, laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) and globules are grown. For the highest pulse energy (500 μJ), distinct grains are observed for both regions. However, in the peripheral area the grains are of bigger size with cracks along the boundaries. In case of ablation in air, in the center of ablated areas, island-like structures with multiple ablative layer or LIPSS and nanoscale spheres are observed both for lower and intermediate pulse energies. For the highest pulse energy only nanoscale LIPSS could be observed. For ablation in air at the peripheral areas, well-defined, laser-induced periodic surface structures are observed for all pulse energies. Raman spectroscopy reveals that the liquid (ethanol) environment forms the carbonyl compounds with the metal and induces C–C stretching vibration, whereas in case of air, hydroxo complexes are formed. It has been found that surface treatment of Ti with ultrashort (25 fs) laser radiation in ethanol environment allows the growth of particular surface structures in the form of grains and simultaneously induces changes in its chemical composition.     

数值模拟飞秒激光加热金属的热电子发射

研究了超短超强激光脉冲与薄膜靶相互作用中产生的电子热发射.当超短激光脉冲与薄膜靶相互作用时,首先入射超短脉冲激光对吸收深度内的自由电子进行热激发,接下来热激发电子将能量传递到附近的晶格,再通过电子和晶格二体系的热传导,以及电子晶格间的热耦合,将能量传递到材料的内部.因此,电子在皮秒级甚至更短的时间内不能与晶格进行能量耦合,使电子温度超出晶格温度很多,电子热发射就变得非常明显了.用双温方程联合Richardson-Dushman方程的方法对飞秒脉冲激光照射金属靶的电子热发射进行了研究,结果发现电子热发射对飞     

飞秒双脉冲激光照射金属薄膜的热行为

通过双温方程对飞秒单脉冲与双脉冲照射金薄膜进行了计算模拟分析,得到了金靶的电子温度和晶格温度随着时间空间的变化。在同样激光能量密度下,单脉冲与双脉冲使得金膜温度的变化表明双脉冲使得更多的激光能量渗透到靶材内部,这些能量可以使得烧蚀深度更深,有利于提高激光烧蚀靶材的效率。计算结果显示随着激光能量密度的增加熔化面深度逐渐增加,单脉冲与双脉冲熔化面深度的变化明显不同。在激光能量密度高于损伤阈值附近,单脉冲的烧蚀深度大于双脉冲的烧蚀深度,随着激光能量密度增加,双脉冲的烧蚀深度将大于单脉冲的烧蚀深度。     

What initiates the explosion of a current-carrying conductor?

It is shown that the explosion of a conductor heated by a high-power current pulse is initiated by the nuclei of liquid phase that appear in the layer of a supersaturated vapor surrounding the liquid current-carrying core. The instant of electric explosion and the expansion velocity predicted by this scenario are confirmed by the experimental and computational data on current-induced heating of a tungsten conductor.     

Studies of two-dimensional lattices using ferrofluid

By exerting a magnetic filed H normal to a ferrofluid layer, a triangular lattice of droplets is formed when H exceeds a characteristic critical field. The lattice may be “heated” by reducing H and the effects of dislocations and disclinations may be studied. This offers a new experimental system for direct visual observations of phenomena related to two-dimensional melting.     

Combined continuum-atomistic modeling of ultrashort-pulsed laser irradiation of silicon

Ultrafast thermomechanical responses of silicon thin films due to ultrashort-pulsed laser irradiation were investigated using an atomic-level hybrid method coupling the molecular dynamics and the ultrafast two-step energy transport model. The dynamic reflectivity and absorption were considered, and the effects of laser fluence and pulse duration on the thermomechanical response were studied. It was found that both the carrier temperature and number density rapidly increase to their maximum while the lattice temperature rises at a much slower rate. The ultrafast laser heating could induce a strong stress wave in the film, with the maximum compressive and tensile stress occurring near the front and back surfaces, respectively. For laser pulses of the same duration, the higher the laser fluence is, the higher the carrier temperature and density and lattice temperature are induced. For the same laser fluence, a longer pulse generally produces lower carrier density and temperatures and weaker stress shock strength. However, for the fluence of 0.2 J/cm², the lowest lattice temperature was simulated for a 100-fs pulse compared to the 1-ps and 5-ps pulses, due to the increase of reflectivity by high carrier density. It is also shown that the optical properties as functions of lattice temperature usually employed are not suited for modeling ultrafast laser interactions with silicon materials.     

Measurements of electron transport in foils irradiated with a picosecond time scale laser pulse

The heating of solid foils by a picosecond time scale laser pulse has been studied by using x-ray emission spectroscopy. The target material was plastic foil with a buried layer of a spectroscopic tracer material. The laser pulse length was either 0.5 or 2 ps, which resulted in a laser irradiance that varied over the range 10(16)-10(19) W/cm(2). Time-resolved measurements of the buried layer emission spectra using an ultrafast x-ray streak camera were used to infer the density and temperature conditions as a function of laser parameters and depth of the buried layer. Comparison of the data to different models of electron transport showed that they are consistent with a model of electron transport that predicts the bulk of the target heating is due to return currents.     

Opacity measurements of a hot iron plasma using an x-ray laser

The temporal evolution of the opacity of an iron plasma at high temperature (30-350 eV) and high density (0.001-0.2 g cm-3) has been measured using a nickel-like silver x-ray laser at 13.9 nm. The hot dense iron plasma was created in a thin (50 nm) iron layer buried 80 nm below the surface in a plastic target that was heated using a separate 80 ps pulse of 6-9 J, focused to a 100 microm diameter spot. The experimental opacities are compared with opacities evaluated from plasma conditions predicted using a fluid and atomic physics code.     

Acoustic probing of two-temperature relaxation initiated by action of ultrashort laser pulse

Ultrashort laser pulse transfers metal into a two-temperature warm dense matter state and triggers a chain of hydrodynamic and kinetic processes—melting, expansion, stretching, creation of tensile stress and transition into metastable state. We study the response of aluminum film deposited on a glass substrate to irradiation by a pump laser pulse transmitted through glass. Several films with thicknesses from 350 to 1200 nm have been investigated. The smallest thickness is of the order of the heating depth d _T∼100 nm in Al. The d _T-layer and the free rear side of the film are coupled through pressure waves propagating between them. Therefore, the processes within d _T-layer affects the time dependent displacement Δ x _rear(t) of the rear surface. We compare simulated and experimental dependencies Δ x _rear(t) obtained by the pump–probe technique. It allows us to define a thickness of molten Al layer and explore the two-temperature processes occurring inside the heated layer.     

Stretching vibration influence of the hydrogen bond on a localized excitation and thermodynamic properties of DNA double helices

The propagation of a localized excitation and the thermodynamic properties in DNA double helices due to stretching vibration of hydrogen bond are discussed. The stretch of the hydrogen bonds is considered as a nonlinear chain with cubic and quartic potential. The analytic solution of the solitary wave is obtained by using the continuum approximation and its stability has been discussed. With the help of the thermodynamic Green function technique, the temperature and anharmonicity effects on the thermodynamic properties of DNA are investigated. The theoretical calculation of the specific heat in DNA at low temperature is consistent with the experimental result. The numerical simulation of the differential-difference equation shows that the solitary wave is pinned by the lattice. It is also pointed out that the conformatioal transitions from B-DNA to A-DNA can occur in the case of asymmetry potential with quartic term.     

Effect of nonstationary thermal gravitation-capillary convection on temperature distribution in a thin vertical wall

Time dependences of temperature distributions in a thin metal wall were studied experimentally under two conditions of convective heat transfer in a tank model. In the first case, the vertical working wall was heated from within due to a convective heat flux from the opposite wall heated monotonously, and it was cooled due to heat transfer to the ambient medium. Dependence of the temperature field on a thin wall at the stage of convective flow development was retraced with the help of the thermographic camera and thermocouple sensors. In the second case, the tank wall was heated uniformly by IR radiation from the outside, and non-stationary convective flow and volumetric liquid heating were formed inside. Time dependence of temperature distribution over the wall height is studied. It is shown that the flow structure and convective heat transfer in a fuel layer with free boundary are subjected not only to the buoyancy force, but also to the thermocapillary effect. The local features of the flow affect temperature distribution in a thin wall.