Time-resolved optical diagnosis of intense femtosecond laser ablation of silica glass

Abstract

The dynamic process of femtosecond laser pulse ablation of silica glass has been experimentally investigated by ultrafast time-resolved optical diagnosis. The digital holograms of material ejections outside the silica glass are recorded, and two-dimensional phase difference maps at different delay times are obtained, from which the composition and the structure of the ejected materials are deduced. Besides, the time-resolved shadowgraphs of the phenomena inside the silica glass are also recorded, and the evolution process of two stress waves inside the silica glass is observed in the shadowgraphs, which are believed to be related to two material ejections outside the target.