Abstract
The bubble dynamics induced by direct laser heating is experimentally analyzed as a first step to assess the technical feasibility of laser-based ink-jet technology. To understand the interaction between laser light and ink, the absorption spectrum is measured for various ink colors and concentrations. The hydrodynamics of laser-generated bubbles is examined by the laser-flash photography. When an Ar ion laser pulse (wavelength 488 ㎚) with an output power up to 600 mW is incident on the ink solution through a transparent window, a hemispherical bubble with a diameter up to ~100 ㎛ can be formed with a lifetime in a few tens of microsecond depending on the laser power and the focal-spot size. Parametric study has been performed to reveal the effect of laser pulse width, output power, ink concentration, and color on the bubble dynamics. The results show that the bubble generated by a laser pulse is largely similar to that produced by a thin-film heater. Consequently, the present work demonstrates the feasibility of developing a laser-actuated droplet generation mechanism for applications in ink-jet print heads. Furthermore, the results of this work indicate that the droplet generation frequency is likely to be further increased by optimizing the process parameters.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
