Dynamics of excimer laser ablation of superconductors in an oxygen environment

Abstract

The plume dynamics for excimer laser ablation of Y-Ba-Cu-O in an O2 atmosphere have been studied using streak photography and spectroscopy. At pressures ≳1 mbar the expansion resembles a blast wave driven by the ablation products with mixing and reaction at the contact surface. A simple model for the plume range is developed which shows agreement with experiments.