A MICROSCOPIC VIEW OF LASER-ABLATION

Recent applications of the breathing sphere model for molecular dynami cs simulations of laser ablation of organic solids have yielded detail ed microscopic data of the processes involved. The results to date inc lude a prediction of a fluence threshold for ablation, an explanation for the presence of clusters in the plume and a consistent analytical description of the velocity distribution for both matrix molecules and heavier analyte molecules in matrix-assisted laser desorption. In thi s paper we review the approach and the basic physical picture that eme rges from the simulations, present new results, and discuss future pro spects for microscopic simulations of laser ablation.