An optically trapped birefringent microparticle is rotated by a circularly polarized beam in a confined gaseous medium. By recording the terminal rotation velocity and the change in polarization of the incident trapping beam, we determine the viscosity by probing a picoliter volume of air, carbon dioxide, and argon in the vicinity of the microparticle. We also characterize the optical force acting on a trapped particle in air using the generalized Lorenz-Mie theory taking into account the aberrations present. This opens up a new potential application of optical tweezers for the accurate measurement of gas viscosity in confined geometries. © 2011 American Chemical Society.
CITATION STYLE
Arita, Y., McKinley, A. W., Mazilu, M., Rubinsztein-Dunlop, H., & Dholakia, K. (2011). Picoliter rheology of gaseous media using a rotating optically trapped birefringent microparticle. Analytical Chemistry, 83(23), 8855–8858. https://doi.org/10.1021/ac2024365
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