Laser Plasma of Poly(Methyl Methacrylate) in Air: Modeling and Experiment

Experimental and theoretical studies on laser ablation of polymers (PMMA, polyimide) have been performed in a wide range of CO2-laser fluences. Evolution of polymer laser plume in air has been investigated with simultaneous registration of radiation spectra of the ablation products, spatial dynamics of plasma flare, and temporal behavior of plasma emission on separate spectral lines. It has been found that spectral lines have intensity peak after laser pulse termination while plasma emission spectra are similar to those of organic material combusting. The results confirm that combustion of the laser-vaporized polymers occurs in the plasma plume. A thermo-chemical model of heating and ablation of organic polymers by CO2 laser pulses has been developed which takes into account attenuation of radiation in laser plasmas and chemical processes leading to heating the plume of the ablation products. Temperature evolution in the irradiated sample, ablation dynamics, and laser beam attenuation are analyzed. The modeling results are compared with the experimental data on high-speed imaging of the plasma plume. The effect of the formation of a "plasma pipe" is revealed under polymer ablation in air under normal conditions.