Sub-picosecond and nanometer scale dynamics of aluminum target surface heated by ultrashort laser pulse

The possibility of measuring surface hydrodynamics at picosecond and nanometer scales by using a time resolved optical interfero-polarimeter is demonstrated. This method is applied to observe the surface position of aluminum target heated by ultrashort laser pulse. Numerical simulations of the surface relaxation during a few tens of picoseconds after irradiation are in very good agreement with the measurements. Results show the important contribution of oxide layer in the surface dynamic evolution and the great accuracy of our experimental method. (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.