Laserablatiet

Laserablatiet, or laser ablation, is the removal of material from a solid surface by irradiation with laser light. The energy delivered by the laser is absorbed by the material, leading to rapid heating, phase transition, and ejection of material in the form of atoms, ions, clusters, or droplets. The process can occur under different physical mechanisms, depending on the laser wavelength, pulse duration, and fluence.

Two main regimes dominate: photothermal and photomechanical ablation. Photothermal ablation involves heating and vaporization of the surface, typically with longer laser pulses or higher fluences. Photomechanical ablation uses ultrashort pulses (picoseconds to femtoseconds) that create high peak powers, generating tensile stresses and explosive material ejection with limited thermal diffusion into the surrounding material. Photochemical ablation, more relevant for certain UV lasers and specific materials, involves chemical bond disruption with relatively little heating.

Common techniques include pulsed laser ablation (PLD), where a pulsed laser removes material from a target to deposit films on a substrate, and laser ablation in liquids (PLAL), which produces nanoparticles by immersing the target in a liquid. Other forms include laser drilling, micromachining, and surface modification.

Applications span manufacturing and research: precision microfabrication of metals, ceramics, and polymers; thin-film deposition; surface cleaning and structuring; medical and cosmetic procedures; and analytical preparation or sample generation in spectroscopy. Safety considerations include plume emissions, particulates, and potential thermal damage to surrounding material, necessitating appropriate containment and ventilation.