Using ultrasonic atomization to produce an aerosolof micron-scale particles

A device that uses ultrasonic atomization of a liquid to produce an aerosol of micron-scale droplets is described. This device represents a new approach to producing targets relevant to laser-driven fusion studies, and to rare studies of nonlinear optics in which wavelength-scale targets are irradiated. The device has also made possible tests of fluid dynamics models in a novel phase space. The distribution of droplet sizes produced by the device and the threshold power required for droplet production are shown to follow scaling laws predicted by fluid dynamics.