Animated sequence of snapshots from a MD simulation of the ejection of polymer molecules in MAPLE
polymer concentration in the target is 1 wt.%, laser fluence is 2.3 times above the ablation threshold
units of polymer chains are shown as blue particles, matrix molecules are shown as small gray dots
Fast-forward views of the animation: 5 times faster, 10 times faster
This animation shows an explosive boiling of the overheated matrix (volatile solvent) that drives the collective ejection of a plume
consisting of vapor, molecular clusters, and liquid droplets. Polymer molecules are ejected as parts of large matrix clusters and droplets
generated in the process of the explosive disintegration of the overheated matrix. The entanglement of polymer molecules facilitates the
formation of intricate elongated viscous droplets that can be related to experimental observations of complex morphologies of polymer films
deposited by MAPLE.
L. V. Zhigilei, A. N. Volkov, E. Leveugle, and M. Tabetah,
The effect of the target structure and composition on the ejection and transport of polymer molecules and carbon nanotubes in matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation, Appl. Phys. A 105, 529-546, 2011.
Full Text: PDF (7.6 MB), doi:10.1007/s00339-011-6595-6
E. Leveugle and L. V. Zhigilei,
Molecular dynamics simulation study of the ejection and transport of polymer molecules in matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation, J. Appl. Phys. 102, 074914, 2007.
Full Text: PDF (4.27 MB)
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