Thermal finite difference analysis of threshold heating for nanoscale machining

We are investigating a new manufacturing process utilizing Threshold Heating and Emission from Nanotubes (THEN) to remove clusters of atoms from workpiece surfaces. A pulsed laser will locally heat a workpiece to the threshold temperature, and then electrons emitted from nanotube tips will create nanoscale features within the heated zone. This paper concentrates on modeling the temperature distribution in the workpiece caused by radiation and conduction transfer. Our finite difference model considers a Gaussian laser beam radiating through a transparent substrate onto a metallic workpiece layer. The finite difference model will eventually be integrated with thermal models of electron emission and absorption to achieve a complete model of the THEN process.