Irradiation effects on copper

Copper, one of the most significant metals, is exposed to IR radiation. A Nd:YAG laser (1064nm, 1.1MW, 12ns) has been used to irradiate fine polished and annealed samples (4 N, 110.3cm3) with 100 laser shots under a vacuum of 10-6 torr. The laser focal spot size and power density on the target were 12m and 31012Wm-2 respectively. The surface and structural studies were performed by analyzing scanning electron micrographs and X-ray diffractograms (XRDs), respectively. Laser ablation results in boiling, splashing, hydrodynamical sputtering and exfoliation along with other relevant phenomena. The XRD patterns of the exposed sample indicate a change in diffraction intensity and grain sizes. The atomic planes remain undisturbed for the irradiated target. The information collected is useful for investigating the complexities found in radiation-metal interactions.