Cavitation bubbles were generated by the 193 nm argon fluoride excimer laser delivered with a specially designed tip into absorbing NaCl solution. The dynamics of bubble formation and collapse have been studied using fast flash photomicrography. The bubble dimensions were measured at different time delays as a function of the tip exit diameter, the energy fluence of the laser, and the NaCl concentration. The dynamics of the cavitation bubble created on the tip is compared with the well‐studied dynamics of bubbles resulting from dielectric breakdown near a boundary. ©1996 American Institute of Physics.