White light non-diffracting beams and applications
Lead Research Organisation:
University of St Andrews
Department Name: Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
The grant aims to look at the use of non-laser based sources to create patterns of light that do not spread as they travel in space. Normally one thinks we need lasers and their inherent special properties of one colour and pencil like beams to make patterns of interference: however with careful design we can develop new beams which can give extended patterns of light with similar applications. These white light patterns may be made even with a household bulb! Once we understand how these patterns are made we may use them for moving objects (a miniature tractor beam) for physics and biology studies and also to look at light penetration through turbid sample: this could be ultimately fog or a sample of tissue: if we can get light to go deeper into such samples we may be able to image deeper, activate drugs deep in tissue which may have applications in healthcare
Organisations
Publications
Fischer P
(2006)
Enhanced optical guiding of colloidal particles using a supercontinuum light source.
in Optics express
Fischer P
(2007)
The dark spots of Arago.
in Optics express
Gherardi D
(2008)
A dual beam photonic crystal fiber trap for microscopic particles
in Applied Physics Letters
Guillon M
(2008)
Optical trapping and spectral analysis of aerosols with a supercontiuum laser source.
in Optics express
Morris JE
(2008)
Optical micromanipulation using supercontinuum Laguerre-Gaussian and Gaussian beams.
in Optics express