Photoacoustic investigation of the excimer laser ablation of YBa2Cu3O7−x HTSC

Abstract

The photoacoustic response of the YBCO high Tc superconductor has been monitored in order to investigate the interaction of the XeCl excimer laser nanosecond pulses with bulk YBCO targets. The detection and monitoring via a piezoelectric transducer of the compression of the laser induced pressure waves propagating into the bulk YBCO samples provides information regarding the vaporization and ablation thresholds, the velocity of the pressure wave and the etching rate.