Pulsed-laser sputtering of atoms and molecules. Part I: Basic solutions for gas-dynamic effects

Abstract

When gases are released from a pulsed nozzle or when solids are sputtered with intense laser pulses, effusion-like expansions take place which terminate abruptly. The resulting gas-dynamic processes depend on γ, the heat capacity ratio, as well as on whether particles backscattered to the effusing surface are subject to recondensation or reflection. Certain aspects of these terminating expansions have already been treated but we consider it appropriate to examine the problem further. In particular the following topics are emphasized. (a) Following previous work, the expansions are shown to consist of a series of regions separated by lines of contact, i.e. abrupt changes of slope. (b) For conditions of recondensation, there are two regions separated by one line of contact, the first region lying in part behind the effusing surface. For conditions of reflection, there are three regions, the first of which begins at the surface. Both types of expansion terminate with a region which is a remanent of the release process. (c) The nearsurface region under conditions of reflection permits an analytical approximation valid for all γ in which the sound speed is invariant with distance and the flow velocity is linear with distance. (d) The surface itself under conditions of recondensation permits an analytical approximation valid for all γ for the sound speed. More generally the near-surface region can be resolved by the method of Stanyukovich. (e) The various analytical solutions and approximations are shown to compare favorably with numerical results. (f) Plots of density and flow velocity versus distance are found to be roughly independent of γ, thence of the nature of the sputtered particles. (g) Tabulated results are presented to enable a more general use of gas-dynamic ideas.