Effects of fluid properties and laser fluence on jet formation during laser direct writing of glycerol solution

Abstract

Laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT) has been widely studied to print various structures. It is important to investigate the jet and droplet formation process under different LIFT operating conditions. The resulting knowledge will help to better control the resulting printing quality and feature resolution. This study aims to better understand the effects of fluid properties and laser fluence on the jet formation process using time resolved imaging analysis during LIFT of glycerol solutions. It is found that if the laser fluence is too low and/or the glycerol concentration is too high, it is less likely for a bubble to fully form and/or grow before it diminishes. If the laser fluence is too high and/or the glycerol concentration is too low, it is also difficult to form a well-developed jet since dramatic bubble expansion may lead to a bulgy shape and even splashing. Only under certain combinations of glycerol concentration and laser fluence, can a well-defined jet form. When a jetting fluid is given, its jettability (J) can be characterized as the inverse of the Ohnesorge number. It is observed that a good jet forms at 0.86 ≤ J ≤ 2.49 (corresponding to 75%–85% glycerol solutions) when the laser fluence is 717 ± 45 mJ/cm2.