The fundamental physical mechanisms of laser ablation of a graphite: explosive bulk boiling and spinodal decomposition of a overheated liquid phase

We have studied laser ablation of a graphite by photoacoustics (PA), electrostatic probing (EP) of a carbon plasma and time-of-flight mass spectroscopy (TOFMS). The target of a graphite was evaporated in air by a Q-switched second harmonic of a Nd:YAG laser. Bipolar and unipolar time resolved transient acoustic signals were recorded with a calibrated piezoceramic transducer placed on a back side of the target.