U.S. and SOUTH KOREA - A technique that uses a combination of maintaining a layer of water on a work surface while firing a laser in nanosecond pulses could aid in the processing of metals.

Using a thin layer of water on a metal sample when using a laser reportedly results in more efficient processing when compared with dry conditions, according to a team from the U.S. and South Korea. The researchers found that keeping a layer of water on the surface increased the material removal rate by up to eight times, while causing minimal damage to the peripheral regions, as reported in the Journal of Applied Physics.

"We found that laser-metal processing was enhanced especially at the low ablation threshold thanks to the mechanical impact of water," said researcher Hyun Wook Kang of American Medical Systems. "The layer of water generated high pressure impact during vaporization as well as removed laser-induced material debris to effectively deliver laser energy."