Open AccessCoupled laser molecular trapping, cluster assembly, and deposition fed by laser-induced Marangoni convection
Author(s) -
Oleg A. Louchev,
Saulius Juodkazis,
Naoki Murazawa,
Satoshi Wada,
Hiroaki Misawa
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.16.005673
Subject(s) - marangoni effect , materials science , van der waals force , optical tweezers , chemical physics , convection , optics , laser , molecular physics , laser power scaling , mechanics , molecule , chemistry , physics , organic chemistry
A coupled mechanism for molecular aggregation in a thin water solution film by laser-tweezers is suggested based on (i) simulation of light intensity distribution and (ii) order of magnitude analysis of heat and mass transport induced by Marangoni convection. The analysis suggests that the laser induced temperature distribution develops within 1 ms and Marangoni convection flow commences within 0.01-1 s, which increases by 1-2 orders of magnitude the mass transfer of dissolved molecules into the laser focus where they are trapped and aggregate by attractive van der Waals forces. This mechanism, considered for the particular case of polymer assembly, suggests that it can also be successfully applied for assembling other types of clusters and molecular aggregates from solutions.