Liquid atomization induced by pulse laser reflection at and beneath the liquid surface

In this paper, precision high speed imaging of the pulse laser ablation of liquid surface has been described. This study is based on our previous findings that appreciable reduction of pulse laser ablation threshold of transparent material in case the pulse laser beam is incident from the water side on the interface of the transparent material and air or water. We have performed a series of experiments to observe the ablation process for laser incidence on the interface of water and air. Whole processes were observed by shadowgraphy optics by using a ns pulse laser and a high-resolution film. Within the tested experimental conditions, minimum laser fluence for laser ablation at water-air interface is shown to be around 12-16 J/cm². We have confirmed that laser ablation phenomena will take place only when laser beam is incident on the water-air interface from inside the water medium. Many slender liquid ligaments extend like milk crown and seem to be atomized at the tip of them. Jet tip is moving at supersonic velocity but is decelerated very rapidly. By changing the laser energy with keeping laser fluence at the interface, temporal evolution changes appreciably at least in the early stage of the process. These detailed structures can be resolved only by pulse laser photography by using high-resolution film.