Formation of nanocavities in dielectrics: A self-consistent modeling

Tight focusing of a subpicosecond laser pulse in transparent dielectrics is an efficient way to release laser energy and to produce plasma. A micro-explosion results in a submicrometer cavity formation if the deposited laser energy exceeds a threshold. A self-consistent model is developed that describes this process. The energy deposition is described by a full set of Maxwell's equations in the three-dimensional geometry and it accounts for nonlinear propagation phenomena in the femtosecond time scale. The calculated energy deposition is transferred to a hydrodynamic code that describes the cavity formation. Numerical simulations show that cavity size in silica depends strongly on the latent heat of sublimation. An equation of state is developed and introduced into the hydrodynamic model that takes into account the influence of such material parameters as the binding energy, the bulk modulus, and the Gruneisen coefficient. The cavity and shock-affected region sizes are compared to experimental data. This comparison suggests that laser micro-explosions might allow to tune the parameters of equations of state in the domain of phase transitions in a cold dense matter. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.