Formation of microstructure on liquid metal surface under nanosecond laser ablation

Alexei N. Panchenko; Nadezhda M. Bulgakova; Alexei E. Tel'minov; Mikhail A. Shulepov

doi:10.1117/12.878419

15 November 2010 Formation of microstructure on liquid metal surface under nanosecond laser ablation

Alexei N. Panchenko, Nadezhda M. Bulgakova, Alexei E. Tel'minov, Mikhail A. Shulepov

Proceedings Volume 7751, XVIII International Symposium on Gas Flow, Chemical Lasers, and High-Power Lasers; 77511W (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.878419
Event: 18th International Symposium on Gas Flow and Chemical Lasers and High Power Lasers, 2010, Sofia, Bulgaria

Abstract

We report a new phenomenon, formation of microstructures, observed at multipulsed nanosecond laser ablation of liquid metals (Ga, In, Sn-Pb alloy, Wood's metal). Laser irradiation of liquid metal targets was carried out in a gas chamber equipped with a heater. In contrast to vacuum conditions or an inert atmosphere when a crater is formed which is healed after termination of irradiation, ablation in a reactive ambient gas (air, nitrogen, sulfur hexafluoride, nitrogen trifluoride) leads to a horn-like structure growing on the irradiated surface with the rate of 3-20 μm per pulse depending on laser fluence and the types of metal and ambient gas. The interplay between different processes in a heat-affected zone of the irradiated samples is analyzed, including ablation, thermal expansion, temperature variations of viscosity, surface tension, thermal stresses, capillary and plasma effects, and surface chemistry. A clear picture of microstructure origin has been established and a qualitative modeling representation is given to explain the growth process of microstructures. The optimal conditions of microstructure growth have been determined and perspective applications of the discovered effect are discussed.

Citation Download Citation

Alexei N. Panchenko, Nadezhda M. Bulgakova, Alexei E. Tel'minov, and Mikhail A. Shulepov "Formation of microstructure on liquid metal surface under nanosecond laser ablation", Proc. SPIE 7751, XVIII International Symposium on Gas Flow, Chemical Lasers, and High-Power Lasers, 77511W (15 November 2010); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.878419

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