Potential effects of Plasma on the Development of Laser Produced Craters

Laser ablation and crater formation have been studied on a copper target using a 10 Hz, Nd:YAG laser system delivering pulses up to 100 mJ in 40 ps with a flux on target F⩽ 5000 J/cm2. Crater dimensions were measured using optical microscope or SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope). In order to understand the process of crater formation, we considered various theoretical models present in the literature and revised them taking into account the occurrence of plasma phenomena, which are important at the intensities used in this experiment. We also compared our experimental results with other results obtained at the PALS laboratory, using a 0.44 μm wavelength laser and much higher laser intensities. Finally we explore the possibility of extending the information derived from laser produced craters to other types of craters.