Surface phenomena during ArF laser heating of graphite model calculations,fast photographic and electron microscopic imaging

The surface phenomena on ArF excimer laser ablated highly oriented pyroliti c graphite (HOPG) were monitored by means of a delay probing dye laser beam (lambda = 648 nm, FWHM approximate to 1 ns) in a Schlieren-like reflection arrangement. Images taken by this method revealed surface uplift due to th ermomechanical effect on the heated HOPG. In this manner, we can measure th e time the HOPG takes to cool down to 1000 K, the temperature threshold of the occurrence of thermomechanical deformation. The results are compared wi th these of ID temperature calculations and XTEM observations. (C) 2000 Els evier Science B.V. All rights reserved.