Laser induced growth of copper particles embedded in a glass matrix

Summary form only given. Glasses containing small metal particles are particularly interesting for all-optical switching technology because of their wide range of resonant absorption frequencies, photosensitivity, and picosecond relaxation time. The stability of the particles under laser irradiation is obviously of fundamental importance for device construction. In spite of these wide ranging scientific and engineering applications, many diffusion mass transfer processes that occur during a short laser pulse have not been previously examined. In this paper, we study mechanisms and kinetics of diffusion growth of metal inclusions (Cu) on the surface of illuminated composites under pulsed laser irradiation of nanosecond pulse duration.