Effect of the Metal–Nonmetal Transition on the Pressure Pulse in Laser Ablation of Mercury

The quasi-stationary regime of laser metal ablation is investigated within a model with two density variation fronts arising from the density decrease in the bleaching wave with the preceding compression shock wave. The investigation allows qualitatively describing features of recoil pressure behavior recently observed in laser ablation of mercury, which are associated with occurrence of an additional pressure peak and a decrease in the time of arrival of the pressure signal at the sensor from the irradiated target. It is shown that the results of this approach are not in conflict with the available data on the shock compression of mercury.