Study of laser-plasma interaction using a physics-based model for understanding the physical mechanism of double-pulse effect in nanosecond laser ablation

Abstract

This paper studies the double-pulse effect in high-intensity (≥∼GW/cm2) nanosecond (ns) laser ablation, which refers to the significant material removal rate enhancement for ablation by two ns laser pulses (often separated by a delay time of ∼10 to 100 ns). The early-stage interaction of the second laser pulse with the plasma plume created by the first pulse is very important for understanding the physical mechanism of the double pulse effect. However, the plasma properties in the early stage (during a laser pulse or within 20 to 30 ns after the completion of the pulse) are very difficult to measure experimentally. In this letter, a physics-based predictive model is used as the investigation tool, which was previously verified based on experiments on plasma properties in the late stage, which are relatively easy to measure. The study shows that the second laser pulse does not directly strike the target condensed phase. Instead, it mainly interacts with the plasma plume created by the first laser pulse, heats and accelerates the ablated material in the plume lingering above the target surface.