Laser induced shock waves: Pressure waves and residual stress in thin films

Properties of materials under conditions of dynamic deformation significantly differ from those in static conditions. They depend on rate of deformation, microstructure of the material and temperature. The study of processes occurring in materials at very high speed of deformation is possible using absorption of high power, nanosecond laser pulses [1, 2]. Short pulse laser radiation and carefully selected absorption layer as well as inertial layers allow obtaining a shock wave pressure up to a few GPa [1]. The dependence of pressure wave profile on material of the inertial layer, measured using polymer PVDF transducer is shown in Fig.1. The maximum pressure of around 1500 bars was attained for glass, due to its highest acoustic impedance.