Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 February 2011
A Raman microprobe and TEM have been used to analyze the resolidified region of liquid carbon generated by picosecond pulse laser radiation. From the relative intensities of the zone center Raman-allowed mode for graphite at 1582cm−1 and the disorder-induced mode at 1360cm−1 , the average graphite crystallite size in the resolidified region is determined as a function of incident pulse energy density. By comparing with Rutherford backscattering spectra and Raman spectra from nanosecond pulsed laser melting experiments, additional information about the disorder depth in picosecond pulsed laser melted graphite is obtained. Comparisons of TEM micrographs for nanosecond and picosecond pulsed laser melting experiments show that the structure of the laser disordered regions in graphite are similar and exhibit similar behavior with increasing laser pulse fluence. The similarities in the resolidified regions under both irradiation schemes discourages a determination of the properties of liquid carbon after the liquid has resolidified.