Mapping of femtosecond laser-induced collateral damage by electron backscatter diffraction

The distribution of the collateral damage beneath craters produced by ultrafast (femtosecond) laser single pulses in a nickel base superalloy single crystal has been analyzed using electron backscatter diffraction. The procedure is based on measurements of the localized crystal rotations caused by the dislocations generated by the shock wave that is produced as an effect of laser pulse interaction with a material. Damage in the form of lattice misorientation created by excess dislocations was negligible at laser fluences up to 2 J/cm2. At higher fluences (5.1-41 J/cm2), the depth of the damage zone beneath the crater increased linearly with laser fluence. Based on lattice misorientation, excess dislocation densities as high as 3 × 1010/cm2 are calculated to be present below the ablated surface in the high fluence regime.