Influence of the processing parameters on the ultrashort laser ablation of metals

Laser ablation of Al, Ni, Fe, and Cu was investigated for pulse durations of 0.1, 1 and 5 ps at fluences up to 100 J.cm^-2. The ablation depth per pulse was measured and the ablation thresholds were estimated. The increase of the pulse duration results in a decrease of the ablation rate. The presence of a molten phase is clearly expressed at fluences above 10 J.cm^-2. Molecular Dynamics simulation was used to model the laser ablation process in the case of Fe, Al and Ni.