Abstract
It was arranged that any particles would traverse a system of fringes formed by the interference of two laser beams and the scattered light would be detected by a photomultiplier. Single particles above 5 mu m could be detected. No particles were observed in a variety of gaps between 0.5 and 2 mm stressed at up to 200 MV m-1 whether or not subsequent breakdown occurred. If particles in this range do exist the field required to detach them is apparently greater than that which the gap will withstand before breakdown occurs by other mechanisms.

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