Measuring acoustic energy density in microchannel acoustophoresis using a simple and rapid light-intensity method

We present a simple and rapid method for measuring the acoustic energy density in microchannel acoustophoresis based on light-intensity measurements of a suspension of particles. The method relies on the assumption that each particle in the suspension undergoes single-particle acoustophoresis. It is validated by the single-particle tracking method, and we show by proper re-scaling that the re-scaled light intensity plotted versus re-scaled time falls on a universal curve.

The method allows for analysis of moderate-resolution images in the concentration range encountered in typical experiments, and it is an attractive alternative to particle tracking and particle image velocimetry for quantifying acoustophoretic performance in microchannels.