We have investigated the dynamics of high-radiance visible-laser interaction with a metal vapor plasma during laser ablation of aluminum and carbon steel. The experiment with a copper vapor laser reveals strong plasma-absorption induced ignition at laser intensities above 1–2 GW/cm2. Approximation based on hydrodynamic relations indicates that the vapor density at the end of the 40-ns laser pulse is 3×1020–1×1021 cm −3 with a pressure of a few thousand atmosphere at the target surface. This high-density vapor with a temperature exceeding 10 000 K leads to pronounced plasma absorption via photoionization. Plasma absorption via inverse bremsstrahlung is determined to be negligible because of a relatively low electron density, measured to be peaked at ∼5×1018 cm−3.

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Baseline ADC variability for HNSCC is less than intratreatment ADC change for nodal disease. Assessment of response should consider intrinsic baseline variability.

We have developed high-precision machining based on high-power pulsed green lasers (30–40 ns pulse width) at multi-kHz repetition rate. Dynamics of material removal has been investigated using a copper vapor laser. We found that noticeable surface evaporation starts to appear as laser intensity exceeds 107 W/cm2. Material removal is then dominated by ablation at higher laser intensities. However, strong plasma absorption starts to appear as laser intensity exceeds 2 GW/cm2. This prolongs material heating by hot plasma via electron conduction, resulting in noticeable melt formation and expulsion. Maintaining laser radiance below the plasma-ignition threshold minimizes this melt formation. The optimum rate of ablation on metals was found to be ∼1 μm/pulse with a laser fluence of 50 J/cm2. Higher material removal rate can be achieved at higher fluence, but is mostly accompanied with unwanted melt formation and ejection. By keeping laser intensity within a few GW/cm2, we have demonstrated high-aspect-ratio machining with micron-scale accuracy and negligible heat affected zone. High-quality percussion drilling, trepanning, grooving, and slotting were demonstrated on metals and ceramics with a negligible heat affected zone. Straight holes with sizes varying from 500 to less than 25 μm were consistently drilled with a height-to-diameter ratio up to 40. The high quality machining with scalable machining speed promises expanded use of pulsed green lasers in micromachining.

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