Transverse (lateral) instantaneous force of an acoustical first-order Bessel vortex beam centered on a rigid sphere

In a recent report [F.G. Mitri, Z.E.A. Fellah, Ultrasonics 51 (2011) 719-724], it has been found that the instantaneous axial force (i.e. acting along the axis of wave propagation) of a Bessel acoustic beam centered on a sphere is only determined for the fundamental order (i.e. m = 0) but vanishes when the beam is of vortex type (i.e. m > 0, where m is the order (or helicity) of the beam). It has also been recognized that for circularly symmetric beams (such as Bessel beams of integer order), the transverse (lateral) instantaneous force should vanish as required by symmetry. Nevertheless, in this commentary, the present analysis unexpectedly reveals the existence of a transverse instantaneous force on a rigid sphere centered on the axis of a Bessel vortex beam of unit magnitude order (i.e. |m| = 1) not reported in [F.G. Mitri, Z.E.A. Fellah, Ultrasonics 51 (2011) 719-724]. The presence of the transverse instantaneous force components of a first-order Bessel vortex beam results from mathematical anti-symmetry in the surface integrals, but vanishes for the fundamental (m = 0) and higher-order Bessel (vortex) beams (i.e. |m| > 1). Here, closed-form solutions for the instantaneous force components are obtained and examples for the transverse components for progressive waves are computed for a fixed and a movable rigid sphere. The results show that only the dipole (n = 1) mode in the scattering contributes to the instantaneous force components, as well as how the transverse instantaneous force per unit cross-sectional surface varies versus the dimensionless frequency ka (k is the wave number in the fluid medium and a is the sphere’s radius), and the half-cone angle β of the beam. Moreover, the velocity of the movable sphere is evaluated based on the concept of mechanical impedance. The proposed analysis may be of interest in the analysis of transverse instantaneous forces on spherical particles for particle manipulation and rotation in drug delivery and other biomedical or industrial applications.     

Acoustic scattering of a high-order Bessel beam by an elastic sphere

The exact analytical solution for the scattering of a generalized (or “hollow”) acoustic Bessel beam in water by an elastic sphere centered on the beam is presented. The far-field acoustic scattering field is expressed as a partial wave series involving the scattering angle relative to the beam axis and the half-conical angle of the wave vector components of the generalized Bessel beam. The sphere is assumed to have isotropic elastic material properties so that the nth partial wave amplitude for plane wave scattering is proportional to a known partial-wave coefficient. The transverse acoustic scattering field is investigated versus the dimensionless parameter ka(k is the wave vector, a radius of the sphere) as well as the polar angle θ for a specific dimensionless frequency and half-cone angle β. For higher-order generalized beams, the acoustic scattering vanishes in the backward (θ = π) and forward (θ = 0) directions along the beam axis. Moreover it is possible to suppress the excitation of certain resonances of an elastic sphere by appropriate selection of the generalized Bessel beam parameters.     

Acoustic radiation force on a sphere in standing and quasi-standing zero-order Bessel beam tweezers

Starting from the exact acoustic scattering from a sphere immersed in an ideal fluid and centered along the propagation axis of a standing or quasi-standing zero-order Bessel beam, explicit partial-wave representations for the radiation force are derived. A standing or a quasi-standing acoustic field is the result of propagating two equal or unequal amplitude zero-order Bessel beams, respectively, along the same axis but in opposite sense. The Bessel beam is characterized by the half-cone angle β of its plane wave components, such that β = 0 represents a plane wave. It is assumed here that the half-cone angle β for each of the counter-propagating acoustic Bessel beams is equal. Fluid, elastic and viscoelastic spheres immersed in water are treated as examples. Results indicate the capability of manipulating spherical targets based on their mechanical and acoustical properties. This condition provides an impetus for further designing acoustic tweezers operating with standing or quasi-standing Bessel acoustic waves. Potential applications include particle manipulation in micro-fluidic lab-on-chips as well as in reduced gravity environments.     

Acoustic radiation force of high-order Bessel beam standing wave tweezers on a rigid sphere

Background and objective

Particle manipulation using the acoustic radiation force of Bessel beams is an active field of research. In a previous investigation, [F.G. Mitri, Acoustic radiation force on a sphere in standing and quasi-standing zero-order Bessel beam tweezers, Annals of Physics 323 (2008) 1604–1620] an expression for the radiation force of a zero-order Bessel beam standing wave experienced by a sphere was derived. The present work extends the analysis of the radiation force to the case of a high-order Bessel beam (HOBB) of positive order m having an angular dependence on the phase ?.

Method

The derivation for the general expression of the force is based on the formulation for the total acoustic scattering field of a HOBB by a sphere [F.G. Mitri, Acoustic scattering of a high-order Bessel beam by an elastic sphere, Annals of Physics 323 (2008) 2840–2850; F.G. Mitri, Equivalence of expressions for the acoustic scattering of a progressive high order Bessel beam by an elastic sphere, IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control 56 (2009) 1100–1103] to derive the general expression for the radiation force function Y_Jm,st(ka,β,m), which is the radiation force per unit characteristic energy density and unit cross-sectional surface. The radiation force function is expressed as a generalized partial wave series involving the half-cone angle β of the wave-number components and the order m of the HOBB.

Results

Numerical results for the radiation force function of a first and a second-order Bessel beam standing wave incident upon a rigid sphere immersed in non-viscous water are computed. The rigid sphere calculations for Y_Jm,st(ka,β,m) show that the force is generally directed to a pressure node when m is a positive even integer number (i.e. Y_Jm,st(ka,β,m)>0), whereas the force is generally directed toward a pressure antinode when m is a positive odd integer number (i.e. Y_Jm,st(ka,β,m)<0).

Conclusion

An expression is derived for the radiation force on a rigid sphere placed along the axis of an ideal non-diffracting HOBB of acoustic standing (or stationary) waves propagating in an ideal fluid. The formulation includes results of a previous work done for a zero-order Bessel beam standing wave (m = 0). The proposed theory is of particular interest essentially due to its inherent value as a canonical problem in particle manipulation using the acoustic radiation force of a HOBB standing wave on a sphere. It may also serve as the benchmark for comparison to other solutions obtained by strictly numerical or asymptotic approaches.     

Gegenbauer expansion to model the incident wave-field of a high-order Bessel vortex beam in spherical coordinates

The aim of this short communication is to report that Gegenbauer’s (partial-wave) expansion, that may be used (under some specific conditions) to represent the incident field of an acoustical (or optical) high-order Bessel beam (HOBB) in spherical coordinates, anticipates earlier expressions for undistorted waves. The incident wave-field is written in terms of the spherical Bessel function of the first kind, the gamma function as well as the Gegenbauer or ultraspherical functions given in terms of the associated Legendre functions when the order m of the HOBB is an integer number. Expressions for high-order and zero-order Bessel beams as well as for plane progressive waves reported in prior works can be deduced from Gegenbauer’s partial-wave expansion by appropriate choice of the beams’ parameters. Hence the value of this note becomes historical. In addition, Gegenbauer’s expansion in spherical coordinates may be used to advantage to model the wave-field of a fractional HOBB at the origin (i.e. z = 0).     

Mechanism of the quasi-zero axial acoustic radiation force experienced by elastic and viscoelastic spheres in the field of a quasi-Gaussian beam and particle tweezing

The present analysis investigates the (axial) acoustic radiation force induced by a quasi-Gaussian beam centered on an elastic and a viscoelastic (polymer-type) sphere in a nonviscous fluid. The quasi-Gaussian beam is an exact solution of the source free Helmholtz wave equation and is characterized by an arbitrary waist w₀ and a diffraction convergence length known as the Rayleigh range z_R. Examples are found where the radiation force unexpectedly approaches closely to zero at some of the elastic sphere’s resonance frequencies for kw₀ ? 1 (where this range is of particular interest in describing strongly focused or divergent beams), which may produce particle immobilization along the axial direction. Moreover, the (quasi)vanishing behavior of the radiation force is found to be correlated with conditions giving extinction of the backscattering by the quasi-Gaussian beam. Furthermore, the mechanism for the quasi-zero force is studied theoretically by analyzing the contributions of the kinetic, potential and momentum flux energy densities and their density functions. It is found that all the components vanish simultaneously at the selected ka values for the nulls. However, for a viscoelastic sphere, acoustic absorption degrades the quasi-zero radiation force.     

Axial and transverse acoustic radiation forces on a fluid sphere placed arbitrarily in Bessel beam standing wave tweezers

The axial and transverse radiation forces on a fluid sphere placed arbitrarily in the acoustical field of Bessel beams of standing waves are evaluated. The three-dimensional components of the time-averaged force are expressed in terms of the beam-shape coefficients of the incident field and the scattering coefficients of the fluid sphere using a partial-wave expansion (PWE) method. Examples are chosen for which the standing wave field is composed of either a zero-order (non-vortex) Bessel beam, or a first-order Bessel vortex beam. It is shown here, that both transverse and axial forces can push or pull the fluid sphere to an equilibrium position depending on the chosen size parameter ka   (where k$k$ is the wave-number and a$a$ the sphere’s radius). The corresponding results are of particular importance in biophysical applications for the design of lab-on-chip devices operating with Bessel beams standing wave tweezers. Moreover, potential investigations in acoustic levitation and related applications in particle rotation in a vortex beam may benefit from the results of this study.     

Axial acoustic radiation force of progressive cylindrical diverging waves on a rigid and a soft cylinder immersed in an ideal compressible fluid

Background and motivation

Previous works investigating the radiation force of diverging spherical progressive waves incident upon spherical particles have demonstrated the direction of reversal of the force when the particle is subjected to a curved wave-front. In this communication, the analysis is extended to the case of diverging cylindrical progressive waves incident upon a rigid or a soft cylinder in a non-viscous fluid with explicit calculations for the radiation force function (which is the radiation force per unit energy density and unit cross-sectional surface) not shown in [F.G. Mitri, Ultrasonics 50 (2010) 620-627].

Method

A closed-form solution presented previously in [F.G. Mitri, Ultrasonics 50 (2010) 620-627] is used to plot the radiation force function with particular emphasis on the difference from the results of incident plane progressive waves versus the size parameter ka (k is the wave number and a is the cylinder’s radius) and the distance of the cylinder from the acoustic source r₀.

Results

Radiation force function calculations for the rigid cylinder unexpectedly reveal that under specific conditions determined by the frequency of the acoustic field, the radius of the cylinder, as well as the distance to the acoustic source, the force becomes attractive (negative force). In addition, the numerical results show that the radiation force on a rigid cylinder does not generally obey the inverse-distance law with respect to the distance from the source.

Conclusion and potential applications

These results suggest that it may be possible, under specific conditions, to pull a cylindrical structure back toward the acoustic source using progressive cylindrical diverging waves. They may also provide a means to predict the radiation force required to manipulate non-destructively a single cylindrical structure. Potential applications include the design of a new generation of acoustic tweezers operating using a single beam of progressive waves (in contrast to the traditional version of acoustical tweezers in which an acoustic standing wave field is produced using two counter-propagating acoustic fields) for investigations in the field of flow cytometry, particle manipulation and entrapment.     

Calculations of the backscattering and radiation force functions of spherical targets for use in ultrasonic beam assessment

Knowledge of the frequency dependence of the backscattering from spherical targets, or of the associated radiation force function Y_p, is of considerable practical importance for the choice of material and size of sphere for transducer beam profiling. The former is often employed in a pulse-echo situation to define iso-echo contours, while the latter is used in absolute measurements of intensity.The present paper contains the graphical results of the calculation of the backscattering from 43 materials and the radiation force function for 48 materials, all of which were assumed to be immersed in water. The range of ka values displayed is from 0 to 20, calculations being performed in ka steps of 0.05. It is shown that the frequency behaviour of the radiation force function is an unreliable index of the frequency behaviour of the backscattering.     

Transition from progressive to quasi-standing waves behavior of the radiation force of acoustic waves—Example of a high-order Bessel beam on a rigid sphere

Prior computations have predicted the time-averaged acoustic radiation force on fluid spheres in water when illuminated by an acoustic high-order Bessel beam (HOBB) of quasi-standing waves. These computations are extended to the case of a rigid sphere in water which perfectly mimics a fluid sphere in air. Numerical results for the radiation force function of a HOBB quasi-standing wave tweezers are obtained for beams of zero, first and second order, and discussed with particular emphasis on the amplitude ratio describing the transition from progressive waves to quasi-standing waves behavior. This investigation may be helpful in the development of acoustic tweezers and methods for manipulating objects in reduced gravity environments and space related applications.     

Interaction of a high-order Bessel beam with a submerged spherical ultrasound contrast agent shell - Scattering theory

Background and objective

Acoustic scattering properties of ultrasound contrast agents are useful in extending existing or developing new techniques for biomedical imaging applications. A useful first step in this direction is to investigate the acoustic scattering of a new class of acoustic beams, known as helicoidal high-order Bessel beams, to improve the understanding of their scattering characteristics by an ultrasound contrast agent, which at present is very limited.

Method

The transverse acoustic scattering of a commercially available albuminoidal ultrasound contrast agent shell filled with air or a denser gas such as perfluoropropane and placed in a helicoidal Bessel beam of any order is examined numerically. The shell is assumed to possess an outer radius a = 3.5 microns and a thickness of ∼105 nm. Moduli of the total and resonance transverse acoustic scattering form functions are numerically evaluated in the bandwidth 0 < ka? 3, which corresponds to a frequency bandwidth of 0-205 MHz that covers a wide range of applications for imaging with contrast agents. Particular attention is paid to the shell’s material, the content of its interior hollow region and the fluid surrounding its exterior. The contrast agent shell is assumed to be immersed in an ideal compressible fluid so the viscous corrections are not considered. Analytical equations are derived and numerical calculations of the total and resonance form functions are performed with particular emphasis on the effect of varying the half-cone angle, the order of the helicoidal Bessel beam as well as the fluid that fills the interior hollow space.

Results and conclusion

It is shown that shell wave resonance modes can be excited on an encapsulated micro-bubble. The forward and backscattering vanish for a helicoidal high-order Bessel beam. Additionally, the fluid filling the inner core affects the shell’s response significantly. Moreover, there is no monopole contribution to the axial scattering of a helicoidal Bessel beam of order m ? 1 so that the dynamics of contrast agents would be significantly altered. The main finding of the present theory is the suppression or enhancement for a particular resonance that may be used to advantage in imaging with ultrasound contrast agents for clinical applications.     

Acoustic beam interaction with a rigid sphere: The case of a first-order non-diffracting Bessel trigonometric beam

Mathematical expressions for the acoustic scattering, instantaneous (linear), and time-averaged (nonlinear) forces resulting from the interaction of a new type of Bessel beam, termed here a first-order non-diffracting Bessel trigonometric beam (FOBTB) with a sphere, are derived. The beam is termed “trigonometric” because of the dependence of its phase on the cosine function. The FOBTB is regarded as a superposition of two equi-amplitude first-order Bessel vortex (helicoidal) beams having a unit positive and negative order (known also as topological charge), respectively. The FOBTB is non-diffracting, possesses an axial null, a geometric phase, and has an azimuthal phase that depends on cos(?±?₀), where ?₀ is an initial arbitrary phase angle. Beam rotation around its wave propagation axis can be achieved by varying ?₀. The 3D directivity patterns are computed, and the resulting modifications of the scattering are illustrated for a rigid sphere centered on the beam's axis and immersed in water. Moreover, the backward and forward acoustic scattering by a sphere vanish for all frequencies. The present paper will shed light on the novel scattering properties of an acoustical FOBTB by a sphere that may be useful in particle manipulation and entrapment, non-destructive/medical imaging, and may be extended to other potentially useful applications in optics and electromagnetism.     

Scattering of Mathieu beams by a rigid sphere

Based on the recent results on the scattering of Bessel beams by a sphere and using the Whittaker integral, the scattering by a rigid sphere centred on a Mathieu beam is derived. The scattering field is expressed as a partial wave series involving the scattering angles relative to the beam axis and Mathieu beam parameters. Some numerical calculations are performed and it is shown that the illumination of a rigid sphere by a Mathieu beam produces asymmetrical scattering as a function of scattering angles θ and ?. The geometrical properties of the scattering Mathieu beam are noted.     

Radiation force of acoustical tweezers on a sphere: The case of a high-order Bessel beam of quasi-standing waves of variable half-cone angles

Using the partial-wave series for the acoustic scattering of a high-order Bessel beam (HOBB) of counterpropagating quasi-standing waves of variable half-cone angles, a generalized radiation force expression is obtained. The radiation force function, which is the radiation force per unit cross-sectional surface and unit characteristic energy density, is expressed in terms of the order m of the HOBB, the quasi-standing waves’ amplitudes Φ₀ and Φ₁, as well as the variable half-cone angles β₁ and β₂. The features of the theory include the ability to suppress two resonances as well as exploring a broad range of parameters related to the beam shape and mechanical properties of the spherical target.     

Conversion of high-order Laguerre-Gaussian beams into Bessel beams of increased, reduced or zeroth order by use of a helical axicon

We propose a new method for transformation of a Laguerre-Gaussian beam of azimuthal index l and radial index n = 0 (LG_l,0) into a vortex, diverging or nondiverging Bessel beam, which can have increased or decreased phase singularity order, or into a zeroth order Bessel beam, by means of a helical axicon. The Bessel beam divergence or nondivergence depends upon the waist position of the input Laguerre-Gaussian beam, regarding the plane where the helical axicon is situated.The expressions for the amplitude and the intensity distribution of the diffracted wave field, in the process of Fresnel diffraction, are deduced using the stationary phase method. The theoretical analysis for the vortex radius and the maximum propagation distance of the Bessel beams obtained is presented.     

Multifrequency radiation force of acoustic waves in fluids

In this article we introduce the concept of multifrequency radiation force produced by a polychromatic acoustic beam propagating in a fluid. This force is a generalization of dynamic radiation force due to a bichromatic wave. We analyse the force exerted on a rigid sphere by a plane wave with N frequency components. Our approach is based on solving the related scattering problem, taking into account the nonlinearity of the fluid. The radiation force is calculated by integrating the excess of pressure in the quasilinear approximation over the surface of the sphere. Results reveal that the spectrum of the multifrequency radiation force is composed of up to N(N−1)/2 distinct frequency components. In addition, the radiation force generated by plane progressive waves is predominantly caused by parametric amplification. This is a phenomenon due to the nonlinear nature of wave propagation in fluids.     

Quasi Bessel beam by Billet's N-split lens

This study utilizes the focal property of a classical Billet's split lens to create more focal points by splitting the lens. This approach distributes the focal points circularly on the focal plane. This study explores the characteristics of beam propagation and analytically derives the asymptotic characteristics of beam propagation based on the stationary phase approximation and the moment-free Filon-type method. Results show that the unique Billet's N-split lens can generate a quasi Bessel beam if the number of splitting N is large enough, e.g., N ≧ 24. This study also explores the diffraction efficiency of corresponding quasi Bessel beam and the influence of aperture size. The potential advantage of proposed split lens approach is that, unlike the classical means of annular aperture, this simple lens approach allows a much larger throughput in creating the Bessel beam and hence the Bessel beam could have more optical energy.     

Ultrasound velocimetry of ferrofluid spin-up flow measurements using a spherical coil assembly to impose a uniform rotating magnetic field

Ferrofluid spin-up flow is studied within a sphere subjected to a uniform rotating magnetic field from two surrounding spherical coils carrying sinusoidally varying currents at right angles and 90° phase difference. Ultrasound velocimetry measurements in a full sphere of ferrofluid shows no measureable flow. There is significant bulk flow in a partially filled sphere (1-14 mm/s) of ferrofluid or a finite height cylinder of ferrofluid with no cover (1-4 mm/s) placed in the spherical coil apparatus. The flow is due to free surface effects and the non-uniform magnetic field associated with the shape demagnetizing effects. Flow is also observed in the fully filled ferrofluid sphere (1-20 mm/s) when the field is made non-uniform by adding a permanent magnet or a DC or AC excited small solenoidal coil. This confirms that a non-uniform magnetic field or a non-uniform distribution of magnetization due to a non-uniform magnetic field are causes of spin-up flow in ferrofluids with no free surface, while tangential magnetic surface stress contributes to flow in the presence of a free surface.Recent work has fitted velocity flow measurements of ferrofluid filled finite height cylinders with no free surface, subjected to uniform rotating magnetic fields, neglecting the container shape effects which cause non-uniform demagnetizing fields, and resulting in much larger non-physical effective values of spin viscosity η′∼10⁻⁸−10⁻¹² N s than those obtained from theoretical spin diffusion analysis where η′≤10⁻¹⁸ N s. COMSOL Multiphysics finite element computer simulations of spherical geometry in a uniform rotating magnetic field using non-physically large experimental fit values of spin viscosity η′∼10⁻⁸−10⁻¹² N s with a zero spin-velocity boundary condition at the outer wall predicts measureable flow, while simulations setting spin viscosity to zero (η′=0) results in negligible flow, in agreement with the ultrasound velocimetry measurements. COMSOL simulations also confirm that a non-uniform rotating magnetic field or a uniform rotating magnetic field with a non-uniform distribution of magnetization due to an external magnet or a current carrying coil can drive a measureable flow in an infinitely long ferrofluid cylinder with zero spin viscosity (η′=0).     

Reconstructing 3-D maps of the local viscoelastic properties using a finite-amplitude modulated radiation force

A modulated acoustic radiation force, produced by two confocal tone-burst ultrasound beams of slightly different frequencies (i.e. 2.0 MHz ± Δf/2, where Δf is the difference frequency), can be used to remotely generate modulated low-frequency (Δf ? 500 Hz) shear waves in attenuating media. By appropriately selecting the duration of the two beams, the energy of the generated shear waves can be concentrated around the difference frequency (i.e., Δf ± Δf/2). In this manner, neither their amplitude nor their phase information is distorted by frequency-dependent effects, thereby, enabling a more accurate reconstruction of the viscoelastic properties. Assuming a Voigt viscoelastic model, this paper describes the use of a finite-element-method model to simulate three-dimensional (3-D) shear-wave propagation in viscoelastic media containing a spherical inclusion. Nonlinear propagation is assumed for the two ultrasound beams, so that higher harmonics are developed in the force and shear spectrum. Finally, an inverse reconstruction algorithm is used to extract 3-D maps of the local shear modulus and viscosity from the simulated shear-displacement fields based on the fundamental and second-harmonic component. The quality of the reconstructed maps is evaluated using the contrast between the inclusion and the background and the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). It is shown that the shear modulus can be accurately reconstructed based on the fundamental component, such that the observed contrast deviates from the true contrast by a root-mean-square-error (RMSE) of only 0.38 and the CNR is greater than 30 dB. If the second-harmonic component is used, the RMSE becomes 1.54 and the corresponding CNR decreases by approximately 10–15 dB. The reconstructed shear viscosity maps based on the second harmonic are shown to be of higher quality than those based on the fundamental. The effects of noise are also investigated and a fusion operation between the two spectral components is applied to enhance the reconstruction quality. Finally, a modified shear-wave spectroscopy technique, shown to be more robust to noise, is described for the estimation of the viscoelastic properties inside and outside the spherical inclusion under conditions of increased noise.     

Axial radiation force of a bessel beam on a sphere and direction reversal of the force

An expression is derived for the radiation force on a sphere placed on the axis of an ideal acoustic Bessel beam propagating in an inviscid fluid. The expression uses the partial-wave coefficients found in the analysis of the scattering when the sphere is placed in a plane wave traveling in the same external fluid. The Bessel beam is characterized by the cone angle beta of its plane wave components where beta=0 gives the limiting case of an ordinary plane wave. Examples are found for fluid spheres where the radiation force reverses in direction so the force is opposite the direction of the beam propagation. Negative axial forces are found to be correlated with conditions giving reduced backscattering by the beam. This condition may also be helpful in the design of acoustic tweezers for biophysical applications. Other potential applications include the manipulation of objects in microgravity. Islands in the (ka, beta) parameter plane having a negative radiation force are calculated for the case of a hexane drop in water. Here k is the wave number and a is the drop radius. Low frequency approximations to the radiation force are noted for rigid, fluid, and elastic solid spheres in an inviscid fluid.