Mechanisms of energy transport during ultrashort laser pulses (USLPs) ablation are investigated in this paper. Nonequilibrium electron-transport, material ionization, as well as density change effects, are studied using atomistic models—the molecular dynamics (MD) and Monte Carlo (MC) methods, in addition to the previously studied laser absorption, heat conduction, and stress wave propagation. The target material is treated as consisting of two subsystems: valence-electron system and lattice system. MD method is applied to analyze the motion of atoms while MC method is applied for simulating electron dynamics and multiscattering events between particles. Early-time laser-energy absorption and redistribution as well as later-time material ablation and expansion processes are analyzed. This model is validated in terms of ablation depth, lattice/electron temperature distribution as well as evolution, and plume front velocity, through comparisons with experimental or theoretical results in literature. It is generally believed that the hydrodynamic motion of the ablated material is negligible for USLP but this study shows it is true only for its effect on laser-energy deposition. This study shows that the consideration of hydrodynamic expansion and fast density change in both electron and lattice systems is important for obtaining a reliable energy transport mechanism in the locally heated zone.

• Received 17 February 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.82.094111