Is It Possible to Control Air Flow by Using Laser Photon Pressure?

Extremely low-velocity airflow fluctuations around precision equipment is a primary cause of diminished accuracy of such systems. Unfortunately, there is currently no effective means to control these air fluctuations. Assuming that airflow dynamics can be approximated by a linear equation under low-velocity viscous flow conditions, this paper shows that airflows around equipment can be controlled. A series of experiments is then performed to corroborate the theoretical findings. In the experiments, smoke particles are excited by the photon pressure of an argon laser beam. The behavior of the particles is regulated by an optical system consisting of a convex lens and a neutral density filter. The experimental findings demonstrate that it is indeed possible to control the airflow in the recessed parts of precision equipment using photon pressure of a laser beam.