title: Short-pulse laser ablation of solids: from phase explosion to fragmentation.
abstract: The mechanisms of laser ablation in silicon are investigated close to the threshold energy for pulse durations of 500 fs and 50 ps. This is achieved using a unique model coupling carrier and atom dynamics within a unified Monte Carlo and molecular-dynamics scheme. Under femtosecond laser irradiation, isochoric heating and rapid adiabatic expansion of the material provide a natural pathway to phase explosion. This is not observed under slower, nonadiabatic cooling with picosecond pulses where fragmentation of the hot metallic fluid is the only relevant ablation mechanism.
authors.affiliation: Département de Génie Physique et Groupe de Recherche en Physique et Technologie des Couches Minces (GCM), Ecole Polytechnique de Montréal, C.P. 6079, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, Québec, Canada, H3C 3A7. lorazop@MAGELLAN.UMontreal.ca
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lorazo
authors.forename: Laurent J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meunier