LASER-INDUCED OXIDATION OF CHROMIUM FILMS

Computer simulations demonstrate that pulsed laser irradiation at lamb da = 1264 mm with sufficiently high power densities (K-1 = 10(8)-10(13 ) s(-1)) may cause initial oxidation of metals by singlet oxygen. Furt her oxidation is controlled by diffusion, which requires thermal activ ation. The overall oxidation rate depends on the interplay of particul ar oxidation steps. At pulse durations between 10(-5) and 10(-3) s, ox ide growth continues for 8 x 10(-6) to 2 x 10(-5) s after the maximum temperature was reached; this process is favored by high concentration s of nonequilibrium vacancies.