Abstract

Foam graphite is a new and perspective material for laser ablation applications possessing of very low (subcriticai) bulk density and high concentration of nonequilibrium chemically-induced structural defects (vacancies and etc.). It shows “black body” absorbance, very low transversal thermal diffusivity and sound velocity due to its “sandwich-like” structure of graphite crystallites. Equilibrium laser evaporation of the low-density foam graphite occurs in regular air gaps of its “sandwich-like” structure and thus critical state of carbon seems to be produced. The droplet-like structure of critical state has been predicted by theory of condensed matter state earlier. Therefore laser-induced carbon critical state seems to be intensive source of carbon nanoclusters.

© 1998 IEEE