Numerical simulation of the ablation of thin molybdenum films under laser irradiation

Laser irradiation of a molybdenum film on a quartz substrate is numerically studied. The simulated results prove the experimental effect lying in a threefold decrease in the size of the ablation region in comparison with the focal spot. The numerical experiment proves the hypothesis on the two-stage ablation of metal film with the primary formation of oxide phase. It is demonstrated that oxidation leads to a selective decrease in the thermal resistance of the film along the vertical direction, so that the anisotropic character of the ablation is enhanced.