Variable energy blast modeling of the stress generation associated with laser ablation

Stress generation induced by laser ablation was modeled by adapting the var iable energy blast theory in the condition of laser-target interaction in a ir that allowed us to obtain the scaling law of the peak and the temporal p rofile of the pressure pulse. Measurements of the acoustic transient propag ating inside the bulk during excimer laser ablation of polyimide, performed by means of polyvinyldenefloride piezoelectric sensors, were successfully compared with the behaviors provided by the theoretical model. (C) 1999 Ame rican Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(99)04709-9].