Laser Short-Pulse Heating of a Gold Surface: Comparison of Absorption and Surface Heat Flux Heating Situations

Abstract

Laser irradiation of a gold surface via volumetric absorption and surface heat flux heating are examined. Electron and lattice site temperature increases are predicted and compared for two heating situations. Time-dependent pulse intensity is used to simulate the temporal variation of an actual laser pulse. Nonequilibrium energy transfer in the substrate material is considered, and the electron kinetic theory approach is accommodated when modeling the heating process. It is found that electron and lattice site temperatures attain higher values in the surface region with absorption heating than with surface heat flux heating.

The author acknowledges the support of King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, for this work.