Analytical thermal model of ultraviolet laser ablation with single-photon absorption in the plume

An analytical thermal model of ultraviolet (UV) laser ablation has been proposed. The approximation used to describe the absorption of the incident beam in excimer laser induced ablation plasma, for the case of single-photon absorption σeff(t)=const. (where σeff is the effective absorption cross section of ejected species) gives analytical results on UV laser ablation kinetics. In particular, the changing (increasing or decreasing) slope of the curve of etch depth, z, versus logarithmic fluence, ln E, is explained.