Drop deformation and splashing upon (laser-pulse) impact

The impact of a laser pulse onto a liquid drop can lead to a violent response: plasma formation and local boiling induce a strong propulsion and deformation of the drop and eventually rupture the liquid into tiny pieces. When drops impact onto a solid surface, similar deformation and fragmentation occurs. Hot liquid metal drops impacting a cold substrate in addition freeze upon contact, which strongly alters the drop dynamics. I will discuss the fundamental physics behind these phenomena and their application in industrial plasma sources used for extreme ultraviolet nanolithography.