2016/09/15 by Bar-David, Daniel, Maayani, Shai, Martin, Leoplodo L. +1
#FOS: Physical sciences #Optics (physics.optics)
paper · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1609.04613
We harness the momentum of light resonating inside a micro-droplet cavity, to experimentally generate micro-flows within the envelope of the drop. We 3D map these optically induced flows by using fluorescent nanoparticles; which reveals circular micro-streams. The flows are parametrically studied and, as expected, exhibit an increase of rotation speed with optical power. The flow is non-circular only when we intentionally break the axial symmetry of the droplet. Besides the fundamental interest in light-flow interactions including in opto-fluidic cavities, the optically controlled flows can serve in bringing analytes into the maximum-power region of the microcavity.