Pulsating conditions in the evaporation of optical materials under the influence of CO2 laser radiation

An analysis is given of some experimental results obtained in a study of the interaction of CO₂ laser radiation with several optical materials. It is shown that self-oscillatory conditions prevail before the evaporation reaches a steady state, which is common to all the evaporation products that absorb CO₂ laser radiation. An approximate mathematical model of the initial stage of the evaporation process is considered.