College of Science & Engineering

Writing in Physical Review Letters, Richard Bowman of the Optics Group has optically trapped micron-sized particles at Giga Pascal Pressures – comparable to the pressures found in stars. The experiment measured the viscosity of the water surrounding the particles, recording a threefold increase in viscosity for a pressure rise of 10,000 atmospheres - a result that agrees well with previous measurements and builds confidence in the new technique. Further development of this technique will allow investigations of the mechanical changes in biological cells and other soft materials placed under high pressure. - See more at: http://physics.aps.org/synopsis-for/10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.095902#sthash.Af1AU9ln.dpuf

First published: 4 March 2013