Abstract

Intensive surface elastic pulses of short duration can be excited in a sample by focused laser radiation. Laser generation can produce much higher accelerations of the surface than conventional techniques. If the local acceleration and inertial forces exceed the adhesive and friction forces, the surface acoustic wave (SAW) pulse can push particles along the direction of propagation and detach them from the surface. This opens the opportunity to develop dry cleaning technology that may be used also in vacuum.

© 1994 IEEE