Trapping solid aerosols with optical tweezers: a comparison between gas and liquid phase optical traps

Opt Express. 2008 May 26;16(11):7739-47. doi: 10.1364/oe.16.007739.

Abstract

We demonstrate a method for the optical trapping of solid aerosol particles. Suspension of silica particles in ethanol allows their delivery to the trapping volume using a commercial medical nebulizer. The ethanol quickly evaporates, leaving the solid particles trapped in air. We use the technique to make comparisons between aerosol and colloid tweezing through power spectra analysis of the particle's positions fluctuations for identical particles trapped in a water or air suspending medium.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aerosols / isolation & purification*
  • Air
  • Colloids / chemistry
  • Colloids / isolation & purification
  • Complex Mixtures / isolation & purification*
  • Gases / isolation & purification*
  • Optical Tweezers*
  • Phase Transition
  • Solutions / isolation & purification
  • Water

Substances

  • Aerosols
  • Colloids
  • Complex Mixtures
  • Gases
  • Solutions
  • Water