Damage caused by a nanosecond UV laser on a heated copper surface

• Published in: Applied surface science Vol. 378; pp. 357 - 361
• Main Authors: Henč-Bartolić, V., Bončina, T., Jakovljević, S., Panjan, P., Zupanič, F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 15-08-2016
• Subjects: Capillary waves; Chaos theory; Copper; Craters; Damage; Ion beams; LASERS; MICROSTRUCTURES; Morphology; Nanosecond laser; Nanostructure; PROPERTIES; Surface properties; Surface topography; SURFACES; ULTRAVIOLET RAYS; Capillary waves; Surface topography; Nanosecond laser; Copper
• ISSN: 0169-4332; 1873-5584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2016.03.112

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•A Cu-plate was exposed to nanosecond UV laser with max. energy 1.1J/cm2.•Surface topography was studied on the cold and heated copper plate.•At room temperature, a crater formed, the melt was ejected from it.•Capillary waves formed in the vicinity of the crater at 360°C.
This work studied the effect of thin copper plate temperature on its surface morphology after irradiation using a pulsed nanosecond UV laser. The surface characteristics were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, focused ion beam and stylus profilometry. When a target was at room temperature, a crater and the radial flow of molten Cu from the crater was observed. When the thin target was warm (about 360°C±20°C), a crater was smaller, and quasi-semicircular waves with the periodicity of around 3μm appeared in its vicinity. The origin of the waves is Marangoni effect, causing thermocapillary waves, which in same occasions had a structure of final states of chaos in Rayleigh–Bénard convection.