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 μm shows the presence of CN and C2, 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.