Laser-Induced Translative Hydrodynamic Mass Snapshots: Noninvasive Characterization and Predictive Modeling via Mapping at Nanoscale

Ultrafast deposition of laser energy into noble-metal films yields irreversible mass redistribution and resolidified nanostructures with hidden features, which can strongly affect the optical response that is harnessed for applications in plasmonics and nonlinear optics. A combination of three surface probes reveals the three-dimensional mass distributions induced by the laser pulse, and simulations show the spatiotemporal dynamics of the nanoscale hydrodynamic flows. This approach allows quantitative prediction of film thickness, and realistic forecasting of how more complex nanostructures might be made via laser processing.