Microparticle laser fragmentation in liquids: mechanisms, energetics, and efficiency quantified with single-pulse, single-particle precision
- 1Laser Center HM, Munich University of Applied Sciences HM, 80335 Munich, Germany
- 2Technical Chemistry I and Center for Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen (CENIDE), University of Duisburg-Essen 45141 Essen, Germany
- 3New Technologies Research Center, University of West Bohemia, Plzen CZ-30100, Czech Republic
Abstract
In addition to nanoparticle laser fragmentation in liquids, laser fragmentation of readily available microparticles in liquids has emerged as a promising approach to generate nanoparticles with high efficiency. Despite its advantages, the underlying fragmentation mechanisms, their influence on the nanoparticle size distribution, and the energy efficiency of the process remain poorly understood. In this study, microparticle fragmentation is investigated in single-pulse, single-particle experiments on Au microparticles. Determining the absorbed peak fluence enables an assessment of the process energetics. Pump–probe microscopy in conjunction with nanoparticle size analysis using transmission electron microscopy identifies photomechanical fracture of the molten microparticle volume and photothermal phase explosion of its superheated surface as the fragmentation mechanisms. We find that 83 % of the absorbed laser energy is converted into cavitation bubble energy, while only 2 % is converted into surface energy. The surface energy generated per absorbed laser energy is 20 times higher, and the overall energy efficiency is 30 times higher than for laser ablation of bulk Au in water. This gain originates from the confined microparticle geometry, which enhances photomechanical fragmentation via pressure focusing. These results position microparticle fragmentation in liquids as a fundamentally more energy-efficient approach for scalable, laser-based nanoparticle production than laser ablation in liquids.
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BibTeX
@article{spellauge2026microparticle,
title = {{Microparticle laser fragmentation in liquids: mechanisms, energetics, and efficiency quantified with single-pulse, single-particle precision}},
author = {Maximilian Spellauge and Ramon Auer and Meike Tack and Florentine Limani and David Sebastian Redka and Sven Reichenberger and Anna Rosa Ziefuß and Stephan Barcikowski and Heinz Paul Huber},
journal = {Optics \& Laser Technology},
year = {2026},
month = jun,
doi = {10.1016/j.optlastec.2026.115762},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.optlastec.2026.115762},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Microparticle laser fragmentation in liquids: mechanisms, energetics, and efficiency quantified with single-pulse, single-particle precision
AU - Maximilian Spellauge
AU - Ramon Auer
AU - Meike Tack
AU - Florentine Limani
AU - David Sebastian Redka
AU - Sven Reichenberger
AU - Anna Rosa Ziefuß
AU - Stephan Barcikowski
AU - Heinz Paul Huber
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/06/27
JO - Optics & Laser Technology
DO - 10.1016/j.optlastec.2026.115762
UR - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.optlastec.2026.115762
AB - In addition to nanoparticle laser fragmentation in liquids, laser fragmentation of readily available microparticles in liquids has emerged as a promising approach to generate nanoparticles with high efficiency. Despite its advantages, the underlying fragmentation mechanisms, their influence on the nanoparticle size distribution, and the energy efficiency of the process remain poorly understood. In this study, microparticle fragmentation is investigated in single-pulse, single-particle experiments on Au microparticles. Determining the absorbed peak fluence enables an assessment of the process energetics. Pump–probe microscopy in conjunction with nanoparticle size analysis using transmission electron microscopy identifies photomechanical fracture of the molten microparticle volume and photothermal phase explosion of its superheated surface as the fragmentation mechanisms. We find that 83 % of the absorbed laser energy is converted into cavitation bubble energy, while only 2 % is converted into surface energy. The surface energy generated per absorbed laser energy is 20 times higher, and the overall energy efficiency is 30 times higher than for laser ablation of bulk Au in water. This gain originates from the confined microparticle geometry, which enhances photomechanical fragmentation via pressure focusing. These results position microparticle fragmentation in liquids as a fundamentally more energy-efficient approach for scalable, laser-based nanoparticle production than laser ablation in liquids.
SN - 0030-3992
SN - 0374-3926
SN - 1878-7371
SN - 1879-2545
ER -