OPTICAL CHROMATOGRAPHY

A new and potentially useful method for separation of particles by opt ical radiation pressure is described and demonstrated in this study, A laser beam is focused into the solution, which contains particles cou nterflowing coaxially in a capillary, The particle is focused into the center line of the laser beam by radiation pressure, The particle is turned around, accelerated, passed through a beam waist, decelerated b y a liquid now, and drifts, at which point the radiation pressure is i dentical to the force induced by the liquid now, resulting in separati on of particles as a function of size.