Author ORCID Identifier
https://orcid.org/my-orcid?orcid=0009-0001-8960-9757
Defense Date
2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
Department
Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering
First Advisor
Gennady Miloshevsky
Abstract
Abstract
Laser-assisted material processing involves coupled plasma expansion, chemical reactions, and particle transport that govern the quality of thin-film deposition. This dissertation presents a comprehensive computational investigation of these processes using the OpenFOAM framework. First, the performance of the twoPhaseEulerFoam (tPEF), rhoCentralFoam (rCF), and sonicFoam (sF) solvers is evaluated for modeling laser-produced plasma plume expansion under atmospheric conditions, demonstrating that tPEF accurately captures shock-wave propagation, hydrodynamic behavior, and multispecies interactions. Building on this validation, the reactingFoam (rF) solver is employed to investigate the chemistry of aluminum plasma expanding into an air environment (Al–N₂–O₂). The model incorporates appropriate thermodynamic, transport, and phase-change properties and is validated against published numerical and analytical results. Simulations reveal the formation of aluminum oxides and nitrides near the laser spot and identify a spatial mixing boundary that governs the transition from metal-dominated plasma to ambient-gas chemistry, highlighting the influence of thermal conditions on reaction stability. Finally, the reactingParcelFoam (rPF) solver is used to simulate the transport and deposition of laser-ablated aluminum particles using an Eulerian–Lagrangian approach. The results demonstrate rapid pressure relaxation, particle cooling, momentum loss due to aerodynamic drag, and localized particle accumulation near the substrate, promoting controlled impact and uniform thin-film deposition. Collectively, this work establishes validated computational methodologies for modeling plasma hydrodynamics, reactive chemistry, and particle transport, providing a unified framework for advancing laser-assisted manufacturing, pulsed laser deposition, nanofabrication, and other thin-film engineering applications.
Rights
© The Author
Is Part Of
VCU University Archives
Is Part Of
VCU Theses and Dissertations
Date of Submission
8-11-2026
Included in
Materials Science and Engineering Commons, Mechanical Engineering Commons, Nuclear Engineering Commons