Abstract
This contribution deals with interactions of short-wavelength laser radiation with solids and their thermal and non-thermal consequences. A brief overview is given on materials behavior under exposure to an intense XUV/x-ray laser pulse.
Differences between thermal and non-thermal processes contributing to the melting of solids and related phase transition phenomena are discussed. Various methods and techniques - both theoretical and experimental - making possible to estimate a portion of thermalized energy within the total pulse energy deposited in solids are described as well.
Initial experiments performed with the NIR thermal imaging camera (FLIR A6700sc) revealed spatio-temporal distribution of temperatures on the surface of an aluminum foil target irradiated by KrF excimer laser (λ=248 nm). A prospective use of this technique at XUV/x-ray laser facilities is proposed and discussed.