Ablation and nanostructuring of metals by femtosecond laser pulses

Using an interferometric continuous monitoring technique, we have investigated the motion of the surface of an aluminium target in the case of femtosecond laser ablation at picosecond time delays relative to the instant of laser exposure. Measurements of the temporal target dispersion dynamics, molecular dynamics simulation results and the morphology of the ablation crater have demonstrated a thermomechanical (spall) nature of the disruption of the condensed phase due to the cavitation-driven formation and growth of vapour phase nuclei upon melt expansion, followed by the formation of surface nanostructures upon melt solidification. The tensile strength of heated aluminium in a condensed state has been determined experimentally at an expansion rate of similar to 10(9) s(-1).