The Dynamics of the Soret Effect in Thin Film of Magnetic Fluid

The Soret effect in interference field of two intensive laser beams in the thin film of magnetic fluid was used to create a periodical structure of density of magnetic particles. The structures obtained were indicated using the self-diffraction of the optical beam creating the structures. The relaxation phenomena after switching off the laser interference field were discussed in terms of the spectrum of relaxation times. This spectrum is proportional to hydrodynamic particle size distribution. The relaxation of optical grating consists of two well-defined channels, i.e. decay through single particles and small aggregates, respectively.