Thermal coupling and damage mechanisms of 1.06 micron laser radiation and laser-produces plasma on selected materials

Abstract

Thermal coupling and plasma- induced surface damage were investigated for selected target materials to determine the correlation between the two phenomena. A review of thermal coupling and unipolar arcing, along with reference to the physical properties of the target materials involved, provided the basis on which this study was conducted. Target materials investigated included aluminum and stainless steel, both with polished, unpolished, and Si-coated surface preparations, as well as TiC-coated stainless steel.