Pulsed laser ablation studied using digital holographic interferometry
Laser ablation is the process of removing material from a solid (or occasionally liquid) surface by irradiating it with a laser beam. It has a lot of applications including modification of the physical or chemical microstructure of materials, microhole drilling, art conservation and thin film deposition. We use pulsed digital holographic interferometry to investigate the plume and the shock wave generated in the laser ablation process on different targets under atmospheric air pressure.