Possible Use of Two Laser Beams to Determine Particle-Size Distribution.

Abstract

A study was made to determine whether particle-size distributions for small diameter aerosols (radius < or = 20 microns) such as fog can be determined by a new technique based on resonantly distorting the liquid drops by an oscillating electric field at the drops' mechanical vibrational frequencies. This field was transmitted by a linearly polarized CO2 laser of intensity 100 W/sq. cm. amplitude modulated at frequencies between 40,000 and 3,000,000 Hz, which correspond to the fundamental vibration frequencies of drops varying in radius from 21.2 to 1.19 microns. An unmodulated, 2-mW He-Ne laser was beamed along the path of the CO2 radiation, and scattering of this light was observed. The intensity of the He-Ne light scattered from the drops at the resonance frequency should be proportional to the density of the drops in the fog that oscillate at that frequency. A sensitive detection system able to measure ac signals with intensities as low as 10 to the -17th power W collected the scattered He-Ne light.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1979
Accession Number
ADA070965

Entities

People

  • Donald E. Wortman

Organizations

  • Harry Diamond Laboratories

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Detectors
  • Electric Fields
  • Electro-Optic Modulators
  • Electromagnetic Radiation
  • Electromagnetic Scattering
  • Frequency
  • Laser Beams
  • Measurement
  • Modulation
  • Modulators
  • Oscillation
  • Particle Size
  • Physics Laboratories
  • Radiation
  • Scattering
  • Spectrum Analyzers
  • Waveplates

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Aerosol Science/Aerosol Physics
  • Plasma Physics / Magnetohydrodynamics
  • Pulsed Power and Plasma Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Directed Energy - Lasers