System and method for finishing a surface of a workpiece

A system for finishing a surface of a workpiece, the system comprising:

• a laser unit configured to emit a laser radiation;
• an attenuator disposed within the laser unit and configured to adjust optical parameters of the laser radiation;
• a cavitation chamber storing a liquid medium, wherein the workpiece is mounted within the cavitation chamber and is in contact with the liquid medium;
• at least one lens configured to receive at least a portion of the laser radiation from the laser unit and focus the portion of the laser radiation to transmit at least one laser beam towards the workpiece;
• a Q-switch disposed within the laser unit;
• and
• a controller communicably coupled to the attenuator and configured to:
• control the Q-switch and the attenuator to operate the laser unit in a pulse mode based on a breakdown threshold of the liquid medium, wherein a high-temperature plasma is generated upon optical breakdown in the liquid medium via the at least one laser beam;
• control the attenuator such that the high-temperature plasma is generated within the cavitation chamber upon irradiation of the at least one laser beam through the liquid medium, wherein the generation of the high-temperature plasma leads to generation of cavitation bubbles, and wherein an implosion of the cavitation bubbles causes finishing of the surface of the workpiece;
• control the Q-switch and the attenuator to regulate a pulse duration, a wavelength, a minimum average pulse energy for cavitation bubble generation, and a repetition frequency of the laser radiation, such that:
• the pulse duration of the laser radiation is 5 to 6 ns;
• the wavelength of the laser radiation is 213 to 1064 nm;
• the minimum average pulse energy of the laser radiation for cavitation bubble generation is 0.5 to 1 mJ;
• and
• the repetition frequency of the laser radiation is 10 Hertz;
• and
• control the Q-switch and the attenuator, such that:
• a Q-switch delay is from 240 to 6 μs;
• a focusability of the laser radiation is less than or equal to 2 when the wavelength of the laser radiation is 1064 nm;
• and
• a diameter of the laser radiation is 8 to 10 mm.