Cavitation Bubble Dynamics in Liquids of Different Viscosity

A single bubble in liquids is produced by using a high-intensity laser pulse and the dynamic characteristics of the oscillating bubble in glycerin-water mixtures with different viscosity are investigated by a sensitive fiber-optic sensors based on optical beam deflection (OBD). By analyzing the characteristic signals, the bubble radii and the oscillation times are determined. The experimental results show that Cavitation behavior is obviously affected by liquid viscosity. Increasing viscosity decreases the maximum bubble radii but increases the minimum bubble radii and the oscillation time. These results help to better understand the cavitation erosion and optimize laser parameters in the fields of laser ophthalmology and underwater laser processing.