Ultraviolet broadband light scattering for optically-trapped submicron-sized aerosol particles

We describe a broadband light scattering setup for the characterization of size and refractive index of single submicron-to-micron sized aerosol particles. Individual particles are isolated in air by a quadruple Bessel beam optical trap or a counter-propagating optical tweezer. The use of very broadband radiation in the wavelength range from 320 to 700 nm covering the ultraviolet region allows to size submicron particles. We show that a broad wavelength range is required to determine the particle radius and the refractive index with an uncertainty of several nanometers and similar to 0.01, respectively. The smallest particle radius that can be accurately determined lies around 300 nm. Wavelength-dependent refractive index data over a broad range are obtained, including the ultraviolet region where corresponding data are rare. Four different applications are discussed: (1) the sizing of submicron polystyrene latex spheres, (2) the evaporation of binary glycerol water droplets, (3) hydration/dehydration cycling of aqueous potassium carbonate droplets, and (4) photochemical reactions of oleic acid droplets.