Pulsed CO2 laser ablation of graphite and polymers

Spectroscopic analysis of the emission plumes of graphite, polyimide, polyethylene terepthalate, and polymethylmethacrylate that have been ablated by using a pulsed CO2 laser operating at 10.6 mu m shows the presence of CN and C-2, species not previously reported for CO2 laser ablation. The gross dynamics of the luminous plume, which was studied by using a streak camera, compares favorably with predictions from the snowplow model, which also accurately forecasts the time history of the plume expansion for a wide range of background gas pressures and laser fluences. Framing shadowgraphy reveals the onset of laser-supported detonation waves at approximately 50 mbar Ar, thus somewhat limiting the validity of this model. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics.