Laser-induced Coulomb explosion in C and Si nanoclusters: The determining role of pulse duration

• Published in: Applied surface science Vol. 258; no. 23; pp. 9404 - 9407
• Main Authors: Chenard-Lemire, C., Lewis, L.J., Meunier, M.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 15.09.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Coulomb explosion; Electron and ion emission by liquids and solids; impact phenomena; Electronic structure and electrical properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and low-dimensional structures; Electronic structure of nanoscale materials : clusters, nanoparticles, nanotubes, and nanocrystals; Exact sciences and technology; Impact phenomena (including electron spectra and sputtering); Laser ablation; Laser-beam impact phenomena; Nanoclusters; Physics; Coulomb explosion; Nanoclusters; Laser ablation; Solid clusters; Laser pulse; Laser radiation; Physical radiation effects; Laser ablation technique; Silicon; Carbon; Nanostructured materials
• ISSN: 0169-4332; 1873-5584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2011.11.022

► We investigate the interaction of ultrashort laser pulses with small (less than ∼4nm) carbon and silicon nanoclusters. ► We find that the outer-ionization mechanism goes through a peak for very short (fs) pulses. ► The peak position depends exclusively on pulse duration. ► Other parameters only affect the peak intensity. ► Our results show that Coulomb explosion is almost entirely determined by the pulse duration. We investigate, at the quantum-mechanical level, the interaction of ultrashort laser pulses with small (less than ∼4nm) carbon and silicon nanoclusters. We find that the outer-ionization mechanism—by virtue of which electrons are ejected from the outer shells of the clusters—goes through a peak for very short (fs) pulses, whose position depends exclusively on the duration of the pulse while other parameters, such as laser fluence and cluster size, only affect its intensity. Our results thus establish that Coulomb explosion, an important process for the disintegration of materials under intense laser pulses, is almost entirely determined by the duration of the pulse while other “experimental” parameters have relatively modest effects.