Abstract
A caged molecular fluorescence velocimetry (caged MFV) system has been developed to measure velocity profiles of thin meniscus flow fields commonly established in micro-scale thermocapillary devices such as micro heat pipe and capillary pumped loop (CPL). The system utilizes a microscope objective lens, caged molecular fluorescence probes, Nd:YAG laser for UV light source, Ar-ion laser for 488 nm fluorescence pumping, and a color CCD camera to record a series of fluorescent images. Caged fluorescence probes have a specific characteristic that causes them to fluoresce only after they are exposed to UV light. The fluorescent image is seen like a thin thread in a fluid field. The thickness of a fluorescent image depends on the UV beam diameter that is adjusted as small as 20 æm. The flow velocity fields are analyzed using a time-averaged line tracking method. An example application has been made for three-dimensional thermocapillary driven flows, inside a 5-mm diameter pore. The developed MFV technique successfully shows the Lagrangian mapping of complicated flow fields driven by both thermocapillary stress and natural convection.
Park, Jaesung (2000). Caged Molecular Fluorescence Velocimetry to measure meso-to micro-scale thermal flow fields. Master's thesis, Texas A&M University. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /ETD -TAMU -2000 -THESIS -P354.