Laser ablation of a platinum target in water. I. Ablation mechanisms

This is the first in a series of three papers aimed at better understanding the processes that lead to nanomaterial formation during laser ablation of solid targets in liquids. Here we study the variation of the target surface morphology versus laser fluence and wavelength in order to suggest an ablation mechanism. A key finding is that an explosive ablation mechanism is prominent for a wide range of laser fluences for all wavelengths tested. Interestingly, however, ultraviolet (355 nm) and infrared (1064 nm) wavelengths show characteristically different explosive behaviors. In the infrared case, numerous large craters with diameters around 20 mu m form at localized points within the laser irradiated area. In contrast, ultraviolet ablation results in a striking transition to nanoscale surface roughness across the entire irradiated area. This texture is attributed to spinodal decomposition at the molten target surface. We propose that the wavelength and fluence dependence of the ablation craters can be explained by the amount of energy absorbed in the target. The consequences of the ablation mechanism for nanomaterial synthesis are discussed.