Nanosecond laser ablation of Thoria fuel pellets for microstructural study

A two-dimensional numerical model has been developed simulating the process of laser based surface etching of Thoria targets via pulsed laser ablation enabling their surface preparation for subsequent metallographic investigation. The heat conduction equation solved by an explicit finite difference method provides simulated data on the temperature distribution at the surface and within the target, melt depth and evaporation rate from the target as a function of time, during and after the laser pulse. Calculations have been performed for laser and target parameters corresponding to experimental conditions matching our reported experimental observations on pulsed laser etching of Thoria pellets via laser ablation. The calculated maximum surface temperature reached by the laser treated Thoria target exceeds the estimated value of thermodynamic critical temperature of Thoria. Thus, our results on simulation of pulsed laser ablation for an average laser flux of 10 J/cm2 delivered by a 10 ns Nd:YAG laser pulse corresponding to a peak laser intensity of 3.87 × 109 W/cm2 suggest, that explosive boiling could probably be an additional material-removal mechanism other than normal boiling and evaporation when surface etching Thoria with such intense laser radiation. Since explosive boiling is usually accompanied by intense material ejection, this mechanism of material-removal should be avoided to ensure minimum induced target damage associated with the technique of laser based etching. Our calculations thus help us to make a proper choice of laser parameters facilitating subsequent metallographic investigation of laser etched Thoria fuel pellets, at the same time, minimizing unwanted associated thermal effects such as target damage through crater formation, as has been experimentally observed.