Ultrafast thermomechanical responses of a copper film under femtosecond laser trains: a molecular dynamics study

Abstract

Using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, the ultrafast thermomechanical coupling responses of an immense homogeneous, isotropic copper film with the thickness of 1 μm, which is irradiated by various ultra-short laser pulse trains, are investigated. For the same energy injection, the effect of laser pulse trains is studied and it is observed from the numerical results that the pulse train technology may improve the ultrafast thermomechanical responses of the film significantly. By thoroughly analysing temperature, stress and displacement (strain) of the film, the thermomechanical coupling characteristics between stress, displacement (strain) and temperature are presented perfectly at the atomic scale. It is found that the lattice temperature of the region under tensile stress (or compressive stress) is lower (or higher) than the lattice temperature of the surrounding region, and the positive and negative strain (tensile or compressive) is related to tensile and compressive stress very well.