We previously reported our attempt to propel microbubbles in a flow by a primary Bjerknes force, which is a physical phenomenon where an acoustic wave pushes an obstacle along its direction of propagation. However, when ultrasound was emitted from the surface of the body, controlling bubbles in an against-flow was necessary. It is unpractical to use multiple transducers to produce the same number of focal points because single-element transducers cannot produce more than two focal points. In this study, we introduced a complex artificial blood vessel according to a capillary model and a two-dimensional (2D) array transducer to produce multiple focal points for the active control of microbubbles in an against-flow. From the results, about 15% more microbubbles were led to the desired path with multiple focal points of ultrasound relative to the no-emission case.

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We have developed a new matrix array transducer for controlling the behavior of microbubbles, which is different from that for high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) therapy, in order to emit continuous wave by designing an acoustic field including multiple focal points. In the experiment using a thin-channel model, a wider acoustic field has an advantage for trapping microbubbles. In the experiment using a straight-path model, we have confirmed that a higher concentration of acoustic energy does not result in more aggregates. The dispersion of acoustic energy is important because the trapping performance is affected by the relationship between the shape of the acoustic field and the concentration of the suspension.

A new method for the processing of textured YBa 2 Cu 3 O y (Y123) thick film stripes on metallic tapes is discussed. The process involves the texturing of Y123 grains by a localized directional solidification method by creating constitutional gradients along the width of the precursor Y 2 BaCuO 5 (Y211) stripe during an infiltration and growth process. The differences in the solidification temperatures of different rare earth 123 compounds were utilized to generate the constitutional gradients. The sample configuration involves printed lines of light (Nd) and heavy (Yb) rare earth compounds on either side of an airbrushed Y211 stripe underneath a liquid phase (barium cuprates) layer. The higher peritectic temperature (T p ) Nd regions serve as nucleating sites for Y123 grains nucleated in the adjacent Y211 stripes and the constitutional gradients produced due to the diffusion of respective rare earth ions between the Nd and Yb regions, typically of 200 K cm −1 in the region, induce a driving force for the directional growth of the nucleated grains. The solidification is analogous to that in a typical Bridgman furnace in applied high temperature gradients. The process, being independent of growth rate parameter and texture of the underlying substrate, is suitable for the fabrication of long length thick film conductors by a wind and react process in simple box type furnaces.

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