Molecular dynamics simulation of cluster formation in femtosecond laser ablation

Short-period laser ablation of a platinum solid target was investigated through three-dimensional classical molecular dynamics simulations using the embedded atom method potential. The platinum target was ablated by an ultrashort-pulse laser with three different fluences near the ablation threshold and single 100-fs pulse. Although each laser fluence causes melting and evaporation of the target surface, ablation processes are morphologically different. When the laser fluence is just above the ablation threshold, the surface layer of the solid target breaks away, and so-called spallation occurs. With the moderate laser fluence, homogeneous nucleation of nano-sized clusters takes place in the liquidized layer at the surface, resulting in the homogenization in the emitted cluster size, while the surface layer fragments and vaporizes with the higher fluence. Moreover, in the spallation regime, the recreated surface has nano-sized roughness and is formed after the surface oscillates with a ∼20-ns period. This inherent roughness formation may be a seed of the nano-sized regular structure observed by past experiments with repetitive pulses.