Numerical simulation of femtosecond laser ablation of Aluminium

We have developed a new MATLAB code which simulates fs laser ablation of Aluminium by solving the two-temperature model equations using finite difference methods. Dependencies of thermal and optical parameters on both temperatures have been considered with the implementation of several models. Ablation has been modelled by defining a normal mesh velocity. Predictions from simulations have been experimentally validated by conducting our own experiments using a femtosecond laser on a polished bulk aluminium sample. We have also compared our predictions with previously published diameters of spots on Al. We have found that reasonably agreement exists between them for all cases.