Coupled laser molecular trapping, cluster assembly, and deposition fed by laser-induced Marangoni convection.
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.
Louchev
Oleg A
OA
Megaopto Ltd., RIKEN Cooperation Center W414, Hirosawa 2-1, Wako, Saitama 351-0106, Japan.
Juodkazis
Saulius
S
Murazawa
Naoki
N
Wada
Satoshi
S
Misawa
Hiroaki
H
D001704:Biopolymers / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D045424:Complex Mixtures / Q000737:chemistry*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D008846:Micromanipulation / Q000379:methods*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D052898:Optical Tweezers
D001704:Biopolymers; D045424:Complex Mixtures