Single-shot nanosecond laser ablation of Ni in low and high viscosity liquids at different temperatures

Abstract

We study the ablation efficiency of nickel submerged in water, ethanol, ethylene glycol, and glycerol, and also in ambient air for reference by single-shot nanosecond laser pulses with a special interest to see whether the liquid viscosity plays an important role on the topography of ablation craters. From the characterization of surface topography with a white light interferometry-based profilometer we find a clear difference in the ablation efficiencies in ethylene glycol at room temperature and glycerol at 100 °C for which the viscosities are rather similar. This suggests that the liquid viscosity itself would not play a major role during the formation of ablation craters.