AbstractA user-friendly, personal computer (PC) based routine called SLIM [Simulation of Laser Interaction with Materials] has been developed to understand the non-equilibrium effects of high intensity, short laser pulses on different materials. By employing an accurate implicit finite difference scheme with varying spatial and temporal node dimensions, the time-dependent thermal history of laser-irradiated material can be accurately and quickly determined. This program can take into account the temperature dependent optical and thermal properties of the solid, time dependent laser pulse intensity, and formation and propagation of the melt and/or vaporization interfaces induced by intense laser irradiation. The program can also simulate thermal effects on multilayer structures exposed to pulsed laser irradiation It is expected that this simulation routine will be indispensable to all researchers working in the area of pulsed laser processing of materials, including rapid heating, melting, annealing, laser doping, laser deposition of thin films and laser solidification processing.