Automated nanoparticle loading

**Motivation and Project Aim** Levitation optomechanics is a growing field in physics with applications in fundamental science (quantum-to-classical transition, mesoscopic thermodynamics,…) but also with a clear technological agenda (highly sensitive sensing). Levitation optomechanics systems consist of a nanoparticle that is optically trapped and levitated by a focused laser beam under vacuum conditions. In our group the loading of the particle into the laser trap is a tedious process that has to be carried out by humans. The aim of this project is to design and build a reliable and automated nanoparticle loading process that can be triggered remotely. **Project Details** This technology project will build on the work done in [1]. There, different loading mechanisms were evaluated and characterized. Here the focus is put on building a working device that features automated particle loading. The device should work reliably with low maintenance cost. A possible procedure could be to automatically eject solution droplets which contain nanoparticles from a nozzle, similar as shown in the picture from [1]. Directly after this ejection, a valve connecting the volume with the ejected nanoparticles under ambient conditions to a volume under vacuum (science chamber with laser trap) could be opened for a short amount of time. During this short opening of the valve the droplets with nanoparticles would be sucked into the science chamber and would be trapped in the laser trap. References [1] N. Stricker, Low Pollution Particle Loading, Master thesis in the Photonics group at ETH (2016)

**Motivation and Project Aim**
Levitation optomechanics is a growing field in physics with applications in fundamental science (quantum-to-classical transition, mesoscopic thermodynamics,…) but also with a clear technological agenda (highly sensitive sensing). Levitation optomechanics systems consist of a nanoparticle that is optically trapped and levitated by a focused laser beam under vacuum conditions. In our group the loading of the particle into the laser trap is a tedious process that has to be carried out by humans. The aim of this project is to design and build a reliable and automated nanoparticle loading process that can be triggered remotely.

**Project Details**
This technology project will build on the work done in [1]. There, different loading mechanisms were evaluated and characterized. Here the focus is put on building a working device that features automated particle loading. The device should work reliably with low maintenance cost. A possible procedure could be to automatically eject solution droplets which contain nanoparticles from a nozzle, similar as shown in the picture from [1]. Directly after this ejection, a valve connecting the volume with the ejected nanoparticles under ambient conditions to a volume under vacuum (science chamber with laser trap) could be opened for a short amount of time. During this short opening of the valve the droplets with nanoparticles would be sucked into the science chamber and would be trapped in the laser trap.

References
[1] N. Stricker, Low Pollution Particle Loading, Master thesis in the Photonics group at ETH (2016)

Not specified

René Reimann, rreimann@ethz.ch

René Reimann, rreimann@ethz.ch