Laser Ablation And Its Applications

Laser ablation describes the interaction of intense optical fields with matter, in which atoms are selectively driven off by thermal or nonthermal mechanisms. The field of laser ablation physics is advancing so rapidly that its principal results are seen only in specialized journals and conferences. This is the first book that combines the most recent results in this rapidly advancing field with authoritative treatment of laser ablation and its applications, including the physics of high-power laser-matter interaction. Many practical applications exist, ranging from inertial confinement fusion to propulsion of aerostats for pollution monitoring to laser ignition of hypersonic engines to laser cleaning nanoscale contaminants in high-volume computer hard drive manufacture to direct observation of the electronic or dissociative states in atoms and molecules, to studying the properties of materials during 200kbar shocks developed in 200fs. Selecting topics which are representative of such a broad field is difficult. Laser Ablation and its Applications emphasizes the wide range of these topics rather than - as is so often the case in advanced science – focusing on one specialty or discipline. The book is divided into four sections: theory and modeling, ultrafast interactions, material processing and laser-matter interaction in novel regimes. The latter range from MALDI to ICF, SNOM’s and femtosecond nanosurgery to laser space propulsion. The book arose from the SPIE series of High Power Laser Ablation Symposia which began in 1998. It is intended for a graduate course in laser interactions with plasmas and materials, but it should be accessible to anyone with a graduate degree in physics or engineering. It is also intended as a major reference work to familiarize scientists just entering the field with laser ablation and its applications.

Laser Ablation provides a broad picture of the current understanding of laser ablation and its many applications, from the views of key contributors to the field. Discussed are in detail the electronic processes in laser ablation of semiconductors and insulators, the post-ionization of laser-desorbed biomolecules, Fourier-transform mass spectroscopy, the interaction of laser radiation with organic polymers, laser ablation and optical surface damage, laser desorption/ablation with laser detection, and laser ablation of superconducting thin films.

Shortly after the demonstration of the first laser, the most intensely studied theoretical topics dealt with laser-matter interactions. Many experiments were undertaken to clarify the major ablation mechanisms. At the same time, numerous theoretical studies, both analytical and numerical, were proposed to describe these interactions. These studies paved the ways toward the development of numerous laser applications, ranging from laser micro- and nanomachining to material analysis, nanoparticle and nanostructure formation, thin-film deposition, etc. Recently, more and more promising novel fields of laser applications have appeared, including biomedicine, catalysis, photovoltaic cells, etc. This book intends to provide the reader with a comprehensive overview of the current state of the art in laser ablation, from its fundamental mechanisms to novel applications.

Laser ablation is the process of removing material from a solid (or occasionally liquid) surface by irradiating it with a laser beam. At low laser flux, the material is heated by the absorbed laser energy and evaporates or sublimates. At high laser flux, the material is typically converted to a plasma. Usually, laser ablation refers to removing material with a pulsed laser, but it is possible to ablate material with a continuous wave laser beam if the laser intensity is high enough. This book presents current research in the study of laser ablation from across the globe. Topics discussed herein include double-pulse laser ablation of solid targets in ambient gas; using laser ablation ICP-MS and its potential in sampling archaeological skeletal materials; and numerical modelling of laser-matter interactions.

The book introduces ‘the state of the art' of pulsed laser ablation and its applications. It is based on recent theoretical and experimental studies. The book reaches from the basics to advanced topics of pulsed laser ablation. Theoretical and experimental fundamental phenomena involved in pulsed laser ablation are discussed with respect to material properties, laser wavelength, fluence and intensity regime of the light absorbed linearly or non-linearly in the target material. The energy absorbed by the electrons leads to atom/molecule excitation, ionization and/or direct chemical bond breaking and is also transferred to the lattice leading to material heating and phase transitions. Experimental non-invasive optical methods for analyzing these phenomena in real time are described. Theoretical models for pulsed laser ablation and phase transitions induced by laser beams and laser-vapour/plasma interaction during the plume expansion above the target are also presented. Calculations of the ablation speed and dimensions of the ablated micro- and nano-structures are performed. The validity and required refinement of different models in different experimental conditions is provided. The pulsed laser deposition process which bases on collecting the ablated particles on a surface is analyzed in terms of efficiency and quality of the deposited films as a function of ambient conditions, target material, laser parameters and substrate characteristics. The interaction between the incident laser and the ablation plasma is analyzed with respect to its influence on the structures of the deposited films and its capacity to generate high harmonics and single attosecond pulses which are highly desirable in pump-probe experiments.

This book focuses on the fundamental concepts and physical and chemical aspects of pulsed laser ablation of solid targets in liquid environments and its applications in the preparation of nanomaterials and fabrication of nanostructures. The areas of focus include basic thermodynamic and kinetic processes of laser ablation in liquids, and its applications in metal and metal oxides nanocrystals synthesis and semiconductor nanostructures fabrication. The book comprises theoretical and experimental analysis of laser ablation in liquids, research methods, and preparation techniques.

Pulsed laser–based techniques for depositing and processing materials are an important area of modern experimental and theoretical scientific research and development, with promising, challenging opportunities in the fields of nanofabrication and nanostructuring. Understanding the interplay between deposition/processing conditions, laser parameters, as well as material properties and dimensionality is demanding for improved fundamental knowledge and novel applications. This book introduces and discusses the basic principles of pulsed laser–matter interaction, with a focus on its peculiarities and perspectives compared to other conventional techniques and state-of-the-art applications. The book starts with an overview of the growth topics, followed by a discussion of laser–matter interaction depending on laser pulse duration, background conditions, materials, and combination of materials and structures. The information outlines the foundation to introduce examples of laser nanostructuring/processing of materials, pointing out the importance of pulsed laser–based technologies in modern (nano)science. With respect to similar texts and monographs, the book offers a comprehensive review including bottom-up and top-down laser-induced processes for nanoparticles and nanomicrostructure generation. Theoretical models are discussed by correlation with advanced experimental protocols in order to account for the fundamentals and underline physical mechanisms of laser–matter interaction. Reputed, internationally recognized experts in the field have contributed to this book. In particular, this book is suitable for a reader (graduate students as well as postgraduates and more generally researchers) new to the subject of pulsed laser ablation in order to gain physical insight into and advanced knowledge of mechanisms and processes involved in any deposition/processing experiment based on pulsed laser–matter interaction. Since knowledge in the field is given step by step comprehensively, this book serves as a valid introduction to the field as well as a foundation for further specific readings.

Laser ablation refers to the phenomenon in which a low wavelength and short pulse (ns-fs) duration of laser beam irradiates the surface of a target to induce instant local vaporization of the target material generating a plasma plume consisting of photons, electrons, ions, atoms, molecules, clusters, and liquid or solid particles. This book covers various aspects of using laser ablation phenomenon for material processing including laser ablation applied for the deposition of thin films, for the synthesis of nanomaterials, and for the chemical compositional analysis and surface modification of materials. Through the 18 chapters written by experts from international scientific community, the reader will have access to the most recent research and development findings on laser ablation through original research studies and literature reviews.