Micron-Scale Observation of Nucleating Water Vapor Bubbles

POSTER

Abstract

Surface plasmon microscopy is used to detect nucleation and lift-off of vapor bubbles in water. Vapor bubbles are generated under pool boiling conditions by heating with a focused Ti-Sapphire laser in the near-infrared region. These bubbles modulate the local index of refraction, thereby altering the local excitation of the surface plasmon which are excited in the Kretchmann geometry and observed with a CCD camera. Altering the surface roughness, we observe how bubbles interact in their earliest stages.

Authors

  • Scott Parker

    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  • Sung Chul Bae

    University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Dept of Materials Science \& Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Illinois, Dept of Materials Science \& Engineering, Univ of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  • Chang-Ki Min

    Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  • David Cahill

    Univ of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  • Steve Granick

    Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, material science and engineering, UIUC, Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Dept of Materials Science \& Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Dept. Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Illinois, Dept of Materials Science \& Engineering, Univ of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Material Science and Engineering, UIUC