Each bubble was a single event and quite reproducible. Bubbles collapsed 400µs to 700µs after the laser pulse. The collapse time was much shorter than the growth time. When the fiber face was 1mm from the target material removal began at about 50µs after the bubble had completely collapsed. Bubble wall velocities of the order of 40m/s were recorded at collapse. Maximum bubble sizes and lifetimes were observed at an absorption coefficient of 300/cm. At a fiber - target distance of 2mm, larger bubbles with longer lifetimes were produced. Bubbles created using a fluid core catheter were smaller than those produced with a solid core fiber.
U. S. Sathyam, A. Shearin, E. A. Chasteney, and S. A. Prahl. The effect of absorption on 2µs ablation efficiency under water. Lasers Surg. Med., S6:5, 1994 (abstract).