Regular papers

Tridimensional multiphysics model for the study of photo-induced thermal effects in arbitrary nano-structures

¹ Department of Physics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A7, Canada
² Institut Fresnel, Ecole Centrale Marseille, CNRS, Université Aix-Marseille, Campus de St Jérôme, 13013 Marseille, France

^* gdemesy@physics.utoronto.ca

Received: 25 March 2011

Abstract

In the present paper, we detail the implementation of a numerical scheme based on the Finite Element Method (FEM) dedicated to a tri-dimensional investigation of photo-induced thermal effects in arbitrary nano-structures. The distribution of Joule losses resulting from the scattering of an incident wave by an arbitrary object embedded in a multilayered media is used as source of a conductive thermal transient problem. It is shown that an appropriate and rigorous formulation of the FEM consists in reducing the electromagnetic scattering problem to a radiative one whose sources are localized inside the scatterer. This approach makes the calculation very tractable. Its advantage compared to other existing methods lies in its complete independence towards the geometric, optical and thermal properties of both the scatterer and the medium in which it lies. Among the wide range of domain of application of this numerical scheme, we illustrate its relevance when applied to two typical cases of laser damage of optical components in high power applications.