PHYSICAL MECHANICS OF GASES IN THE STUDY OF LASER BEAM INTERACTIONS WITH MATERIALS

When a material is irradiated by intense laser beam, the ablatior vapor absorbs part or all of laser radiation, and becomes partialy ionized plasma. The propagating plasma is referred to as a laser-supported absorption wave (LSAW). LSAW screens the incident laser beam. At the same time, it emits short-wavelength radiation which is efficiently absorbed by the material surface. From the study of this process, the vapor motion may be 'described by using radiation hydrodynamics. To solve the equation of radiati...