Quantitative studies are conducted into the absolute pressure values of the acoustical and shock waves generated and propagating in a biotissue under pulsed (tau p = 50 ns) UV (lambda = 308 nm) laser irradiation (below and above the ablation threshold). Powerful (several hundreds of bars in pressure) high-frequency (f approximately 10(7) Hz) acoustic compression and rarefaction pulses are found to be generated in the biotissue. The amplitudes and profiles of the acoustic pulses developing in atherosclerotic human aorta tissues and an aqueous CuCl2 solution under laser irradiation are investigated as a function of the laser pulse energy fluence. The results obtained point to the absence of the cold spallation of the objects of study by rarefaction waves. Based on experimental data, the rise rates, pressure gradients, and propagation velocities of shock waves in the biotissue are calculated. The experimental data are found to agree well with the theoretical estimates.

A novel noninvasive optical technique for manipulating particles and cells is presented that utilizes laser-generated forces in an absorbing medium surrounding the particles or cells. In this technique, a laser pulse creates near-object acoustic waves, which during interaction with the objects lead to then being moved or trapped. The main optical schemes are considered, and a theory is presented for this new optical tool, namely photoacoustic (PA) tweezer with pulsed laser. The magnitudes of forces acting on polystyrene particles suspended in water were estimated as a function of the particles' properties for circular and ring geometries of the laser beam. Results of our preliminary experiments demonstrated proof that the manipulation, trapping and even rotation of cells is possible with PA tweezers.

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The experimental studies of the effect of preliminary laser pulsed surface treatment on mechanical properties of the diffusion welding joints of Fe-Ni alloy were carried out. The alloy surfaces was treated in inert gas (Ar) environment by scanning beam of nanosecond laser pulses with a wavelength 355 nm, repetition rate 100 Hz and scanning speed 1 mm/s. Laser spot was 220 µm, the energy density 2 and 3 J/cm2. Treated samples as well as the control untreated ones were placed at the same container and were diffusion bonded by hot isostatic pressing (HIP) at the temperatures of 1000 and 1160°С. Ultimate strength and elongation of weld joint materials were determined by tensile testing. It is shown that laser pulse treatment leads to improvement both the ultimate strength and relative elongation of the weld joints. Mechanical properties of the weld joints depends on the laser energy density. Weld joint properties can be increased by optimization of the laser treatment parameters. The best results were achieved at laser energy density 2 J/cm2. Ultimate strength was increased by 12% and 29% for HIP temperatures 1160 and 1000°С respectively. The elongation values also increased from 42% for non-treated samples up to 51% for samples treated at 2 J/cm2 energy density. Preliminary laser treatment of welded surfaces permits to reduce the HIP temperature by 160°С and thereby reduce power consumption during HIP process.

The surface quality of the WC—3% Co hard alloy after modification by focused beams of an ultraviolet laser has been investigated. At radiation energy density E ≥ 1.6 J / cm2, traces of melting with a size of 1—3 μm were found on the alloy surface in the impact zone. An increase in intensity of the incident radiation to E ≈ 6.2 J / cm2 leads to an increase in the concentration of cobalt on the surface from 7 to 10%, while the concentration of carbon decreases from 33 to 18%.