Opto-hydrodynamic instability of fluid interfaces

The bending of fluid interfaces by the optical radiation pressure is now recognized as an appealing contactless tool to probe microscopic surface properties of soft materials. However, as the radiation pressure is intrinsically weak (typically of the order of a few Pascal), investigations are often limited to the regime of weak deformations. Non-linear behaviors can nevertheless be investigated using very soft fluid interfaces. Either a large stable tether is formed, or else a break-up of the interface occurs above a well-defined beam power threshold, depending on the direction of the beam propagation. This asymmetry originates from the occurrence of total reflection condition of light at deformed interface. Interface instability results in the formation of a stationary beam-centered liquid micro-jet that emits droplets. Radiation-induced jetting can also lead to giant tunable liquid columns with aspect ratio up to 100, i.e. well beyond the fundamental Rayleigh-Plateau limitation. Consequently, the applications range of the opto-hydrodynamic interface instability is wide, going from adaptative micro-optics (lensing and light guiding by the induced columns) to micro-fluidics and microspraying, as fluid transfer is optically monitored and directed in three dimensions.

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