This animation shows the dynamics of a collective material ejection or ablation in the regime of thermal confinement, when the laser pulse duration is shorter than the time of dissipation of the absorbed laser energy by the thermal conduction. A detailed discussion of the physical mechanisms leading to the material ejection and the parameters of the ejection process is given in [ L. V. Zhigilei and B. J. Garrison, Microscopic Mechanisms of Laser Ablation of Organic Solids in the Thermal and Stress Confinement Irradiation Regimes, J. Appl. Phys. 88, 1281-1298 (2000), Abstract, Full Text: PDF (800 kB) ].

To see animated snapshots from a simulation at the same fluence but with ten times shorter laser pulse click here.

To see animated snapshots from a simulation with the same pulse duration but at lower laser fluence, just above the threshold for the onset of ablation, click here.

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