Published online by Cambridge University Press: 16 February 2011
We have conducted two separate experiments in the UV laser ablation of a sintered Yba2Cu3Ox+6wafer. We have measured the photoejected population distributions using selected UV laser wavelengths (4.01, 4.17 and 4.35 eV) near the 4.1 eV optical transition in Yba2Cu3Ox+6 In addition, we have measured the change in the ejected species kinetic energy as a function of the target bulk temperature. All the experiments were conducted at laser fluences well below the plasma formation threshold, and near that for product formation. Our results show that the UV laser ablation, at threshold fluences, proceeds via a nonthermal electronic excitation mechanism.