Laser-induced modification of transparent crystals and glasses
Abstract
We analyse theoretically the processes proceeding in transparent crystals and glasses irradiated by ultrashort laser pulses in the regimes typical of different applications in optoelectronics and photonics. We consider some phenomena, which have been previously described by the authors within the developed model representations: charge of the dielectric surface due to electron photoemission resulting in a Coulomb explosion; crater shaping by using an adaptive control of the laser pulse shape; optimisation of the waveguide writing in materials strongly resistant to laser-induced compaction under ordinary irradiation conditions. The developed models and analysis of the processes based on these models include the elements of the solid-state physics, plasma physics, thermodynamics, theory of elasticity and plasticity. Some important experimental observations which require explanations and adequate description are summarised.