Transmission of pulsed laser beams through ‘‘opaque’’ liquids by a cavitation effect

Stationary cavities were formed in liquids by trains of laser pulses having the following characteristics: high absorption, high repetition rate, and high energy per pulse. Under these conditions laser pulses may be transmitted through several millimeters of ‘‘opaque’’ liquids by a cavitation effect. This facilitates material cutting and laser surgical operation under blood or under water by CO2 or excimer lasers. A simple model is presented to explain the cavitation effect.