Study of water solidification using optical trap

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Optical trapping, a technique of particle levitation using radiation pressure forces, was applied to suspend water droplets and ice crystals in air, and their phase transitions or growth processes were observed. Levitation allows supercooled water to crystallize in a well-controlled situation avoiding the effect of contact to solid surfaces. Morphology change of a water droplet induced by the solidification was detected from its Mie scattering pattern of the trapping laser beams. Raman spectra show that the local structure of the molecular network critically depends on the temperature under supercooled conditions. We also developed a quite stable optical trap assisted by an upward air current.