Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of expansion of quickly heated Lennard-Jones (LJ) crystalline thin film is performed. The heating time is assumed to be much shorter than the characteristic expansion time. Such situation occurs when a femtosecond laser pulse is absorbed by a crystal. We established that plastic rarefaction wave is formed and propagates from the vacuum boundary into solid. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.