NONEQUILIBRIUM HEATING IN METAL FILMS: AN ANALYTICAL AND NUMERICAL ANALYSIS

Abstract

Ultrashort pulsed laser heating of metals at room temperature is commonly studied using the parabolic two step (PTS) model. An analytical solution of the PTS is presented and compared to numerical results. The analytical solution assumes constant thermophysical properties, which is appropriate for applications such as nondestructive testing using low laser fluences. The assumption of constant thermophysical properties is discussed, and appropriate regimes are established. Numerical and analytical solutions of the PTS model are compared to experimental data in order to demonstrate the utility of these solutions for determining the thermal diffusivity of thin films.