ABSTRACT

Laser ablation of a solid target creates a plasma plume that expands normally to the target surface. The rate and mechanism of removal of the target material depend on laser irradiance on the target surface. Liquids have higher light absorption coefficients as compared to vacuum or gases; therefore, PLA of solid targets in liquids possesses a significant absorption of laser light by liquids, resulting in a reduced rate of ablation. Lower reflectivity of laser light at a solid-liquid interface favours a higher rate of ablation, on the one hand, while absorption of laser light by liquid layers reduces the ablation rate, on the other hand. The rate of material removal by PLA of a solid target in liquid and hence nucleation/growth of NPs depend on the temperature of liquid medium. Fundamentals of pulsed laser ablation of solid target at solid-liquid interface for non-reactive and reactive laser ablation for the generation of elemental/alloy and compound NPs are presented in detail.