Institut d’Electronique de Microélectronique et de Nanotechnologie, département ISEN, UMR 8520, 41 boulevard Vauban, 59046 Lille cedex, France
Abstract:
The generation of ultrasonic cavitation in a thin liquid layer trapped between a large radiating surface and a hard reflector and bounded laterally by a gas–liquid interface is investigated. The theoretical analysis predicts that a large amplification of the acoustical pressure is obtained with this configuration. Experiments are conducted by driving the layer with horn-type transducers having a large emitting surface. Ultrasonic cavitation is obtained in a broad frequency range at low input intensity due to the amplification effect. Erosion tests on metallic foils demonstrate the existence of a region of intense cavitation activity which can be localised by controlling the input intensity.