Monocrystalline silicon plasma expansion induced by millisecond laser

Ablation of monocrystalline silicon to atmospheric environment induced by a millisecond pulse of an Nd:YAG optical laser with a wavelength of 1064 nm is studied. Shadowgraphy is applied to study the process of monocrystalline silicon plasma expansion for the laser energy density of 955.4–2736.0 J/cm$^2$. It is shown that the outer boundary of the plasma plume diffuses outside with time. Plasma expansion occurs in both axial and radial directions, but the velocity of plasma expansion in the radial direction is smaller than in the axial direction. Two centerlines of the laser action are symmetric. The maximum expansion velocity of 162.1 m/s is reached with the laser energy density of 2376.0 J/cm$^2$, and a laser-supported combustion wave is generated in this case. In contrast to monocrystalline silicon under the action of a short-pulse laser, the millisecond laser action can make the plasma expansion velocity increase for the second time. A material splash can be observed from the expansion images in the case of a high laser energy density.