Laser short-pulse heating: three-dimensional consideration

Non-equilibrium energy transport takes place in solids once the laser pulse duration reduces to picoseconds or less. It is this energy transfer mechanism that defines the laser interaction process and therefore the rate at which the material is heated through the collisional process. In the present study, laser short-pulse heating of a gold surface is considered. An electron kinetic theory approach is introduced to model the energy transport process in three dimensions. The governing equation of energy transport is solved numerically, and the electron and lattice site temperatures are predicted. In order to validate the electron kinetic theory predictions, a two-equation model is employed to compute the temperature field in the substrate material. It is found that energy transport due to the diffusional process is unlikely during the heating period considered at present. The predictions of electron kinetic theory agree well with the results obtained from the two-equation model.