OPTODYNAMIC ASPECT OF A PULSED-LASER ABLATION PROCESS

A study of a pulsed laser ablation process is presented from a novel, optodynamic aspect. By quantitative analysis of laser-induced bulk ult rasonic and blast waves in the air the ablation dynamics is characteri zed. In this way the influence of the laser pulse parameters and of th e interacting material on the ablation process was assessed. By the an alysis of the laser drilling process of thin layered samples the mater ial influence was demonstrated. Besides the ultrasonic evaluation of t he laser pulse power density the plasma shielding for 10 ns laser puls es was analyzed by the same method. All measurements were noncontact. Bulk waves in the solid and blast waves in the air were measured simul taneously, an interferometric and a probe beam deflection method were used, respectively.