Laser ablation-induced gas and flyer ejection from composite films applied to regulation of a liquid micro-stream

We have developed laser-ignitable gas generating films to control a liquid stream for use in micro processing that can be ignited with both continous wave (CW) and pulsed lasers. Films of 100 μm thick polyethylene terephthalate (PET) were coated with mixtures of nitrocellulose, trimethylolethanetrinitrate, and carbon black. A light beam from a Nd:YAG laser diode, or an Ar+ laser was focused onto the nitrocellulose layer through the PET substrate to ignite the layer. In the case of CW irradiation the delay time between the onset of irradiation and the ignition of the films was established by measuring the transmission of the laser light passing through the films. Gas generation dynamics were studied as a function of film thickness and irradiation conditions. In the case of pulsed laser irradiation, the dynamics were followed by imaging using a conventional double pulse pump-probe technique, with which it was possible to observe material ejection and the transient disturbance of a micro liquid stream in the path of emitted debris.