title: Optical path clearing and enhanced transmission through colloidal suspensions.
abstract: We utilize advanced laser fields to clear a path through a dynamic turbid medium, a concept termed "Optical path clearing (OPC)." Particles are evacuated from a volume of the medium using the gradient and/or scattering forces due to an applied laser field with a suitably tailored spatial profile. Our studies encompass both an analytical model and proof-of-principle experiments where paths are cleared in dense bulk colloidal suspensions. Based on our results we suggest that high-performance and high efficiency OPC will be achieved by multiple-step clearing using dynamic laser fields based on Airy or inverted axicon beams.
authors: School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St. Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews KY16 9SS, UK. jb211@st-andrews.ac.uk
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Baumgartl
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Cizmár
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Mazilu
authors: V C
authors: VC
authors: Chan
authors: A E
authors: AE
authors: Carruthers
authors: B A
authors: BA
authors: Capron
authors: W
authors: W
authors: McNeely
authors: E M
authors: EM
authors: Wright
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Dholakia
mesh_terms: D004581:Electronics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D007834:Lasers; D008027:Light; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013535:Suspensions / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D013535:Suspensions