An analytical modeling of time dependent pulsed laser melting

The one-dimensional time dependent heat conduction equation for surface heating and a phase boundary (the so-called classical Stefan problem) has been solved in the absence of vaporization. For a rectangular laser pulse and constant material parameters, useful solutions have been determined for melt depth as a function of time both during and following the pulse. Based on the model, the intensity dependence of the melt depth is investigated. Two melting regimes-slow and fast-have been identified by comparison with previously reported data for silicon. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(99)00517-4].