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Propelling and Shaping Liquid Drops by Laser-Pulse Impact
The impact of a laser pulse onto a liquid drop can be so violent that it leads to strong propulsion, deformation and eventually fragmentation of the drop. Here, we investigate how the drop response depends on the laser-pulse properties and drop characteristics by combining high-speed and stroboscopic imaging techniques with theoretical and numerical modelling. We show that the drop motion results from the recoil momentum transferred to the drop by water vaporisation We explain in detail how the drop shape can be manipulated by tuning the laser pulse energy, shape and focus.