Trapping cavitation bubbles with a self-focused laser beam

Opt Lett. 2004 Sep 15;29(18):2136-8. doi: 10.1364/ol.29.002136.

Abstract

We observed that laser-induced cavitation bubbles in water can be trapped in a self-focused laser beam. Both optical imaging and acoustic detection have been utilized to confirm bubble trapping. Transverse and longitudinal trapping forces were measured to be as large as 87 and 11 pN, respectively. This result is contrary to conventional wisdom, since the mechanism of trapping in conventional optical tweezers implies that a low-index particle (a bubble being the limiting case) should be antitrapped.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Equipment Design
  • Equipment Failure Analysis
  • Gases / chemistry*
  • Gases / radiation effects*
  • Lasers*
  • Micromanipulation / instrumentation*
  • Micromanipulation / methods*
  • Motion

Substances

  • Gases