(L)aser short-pulse heating of gold surface is considered and the influence of laser pulse intensity on the temperature and stress fields is investigated. Laser step input pulses with different pulse lengths and the same energy content are employed in the simulations. The electron kinetic theory approach employing thermomechanical coupling is introduced to model the non-equilibrium energy transport in the electron and lattice subsystems. Thermal stress development in the lattice sub-system and temperature rise in the lattice and electron sub-systems are computed. It is found that electron temperature rises rapidly while lattice site temperature rise is gradual in the early heating period, which is more pronounced for high intensity pulses. Thermal stress component in the axial direction is compressive and its magnitude is considerably less than the yielding limit of the substrate material. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.