Metal ablation study with a 10 picosecond laser under low and median fluence

Single shot 10 ps laser ablation on aluminium and gold at a wavelength of 1064 nm under low and median laser fluence was studied theoretically and experimentally. Simulations have been performed by using an optimized two temperature model. It is revealed that electron-phonon coupling ability of the target metal affected both the ablation depth and target metal's morphology. Under low fluence, melting could well be the relevant ablation mechanism. With laser fluence rising, vaporization or phase explosion happens thereafter, depending on material's electron-phonon coupling ability.