Particle removal with liquid-film-enhanced laser-induced plasma

Abstract

A novel particle removal technique is presented. The technique is based on the displacement of a thin liquid film deposited on the surface that is to be cleaned under the influence of a laser-induced plasma (LIP) shockwave field. The plasma core and impinging shockwave exert electromagnetic, thermal and elastic fields in the film and the substrate. In the reported experiments, it is observed that, as a result of these interactions, the liquid film is displaced from the substrate along with particles deposited on the substrate. A number of mechanisms contributing to particle detachment and removal in the proposed technique are identified and discussed for their roles in this process. The results of a series of experiments, indicating damage-free submicrometer glass and polystyrene latex (PSL) particle removal using the current technique are presented.