Optical path clearing and enhanced transmission through colloidal suspensions.
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.
Baumgartl
J
J
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St. Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews KY16 9SS, UK. jb211@st-andrews.ac.uk
Cizmár
T
T
Mazilu
M
M
Chan
V C
VC
Carruthers
A E
AE
Capron
B A
BA
McNeely
W
W
Wright
E M
EM
Dholakia
K
K
D004581:Electronics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D007834:Lasers; D008027:Light; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013535:Suspensions / Q000737:chemistry*
D013535:Suspensions