Product Code: JLA_17_1_63

Authors:
J. K. Chen
W. P. Latham
J. E. Beraun
Laser Effects Research Branch, Directed Energy Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico 87117

Most of the ultrafast laser heating analysis to date has been accomplished with a constant electron–phonon coupling factor (G). Due to the significant changes in the electron and lattice temperature caused by high-power laser heating, G could be temperature dependent. In this article a phenomenological temperature-dependent G is introduced to simulate ultrafast laser heating in metals. The electron temperature and the ablation depth computed with the temperature-dependent G compare well with experimental data.