Related papers: Optical potential mapping with a levitated nanopar…
Quantum control of atoms at ultrashort distances from surfaces would open a new paradigm in quantum optics and offer a novel tool for the investigation of near-surface physics. Here, we investigate the motional states of atoms that are…
We describe the measurement of the secular motion of a levitated nanoparticle in a Paul trap with a CMOS camera. This simple method enables us to reach signal-to-noise ratios as good as 10$^{6}$ with a displacement sensitivity better than…
In recent years there has been an explosive development of interest in the measurement of forces at the microscopic level, such as within living cells, as well as the properties of fluids and suspensions on this scale, using optically…
Levitated nanoparticles are being intensively investigated from two different perspectives: as a potential realisation of macroscopic quantum coherence; and as ultra-sensitive sensors of force, down to the zeptoNewton level, with a range of…
The use of tapered optical fibers, i.e., optical nanofibers, for spectroscopy and the detection of small numbers of particles, such as neutral atoms or molecules, has been gaining ground in recent years. In this review, we briefly introduce…
Optical force and torque provide unprecedented control on the spatial motion of small particles. A valid scientific question, that has many practical implications, concerns the existence of fundamental upper bounds for the achievable force…
Levitated optomechanical systems, and particularly particles trapped in vacuum, provide unique platforms for studying the mechanical behavior of objects well-isolated from their environment. Ultimately, such systems may enable the study of…
Optical manipulation of micro- and nanoparticles near surfaces is fundamental for applications in sensing and microfluidics, yet controlling particle-surface interactions remains challenging. Here we experimentally investigate light-induced…
We study the lifetime of an atom trapped in an optical vertical lattice in proximity of a massive surface using a complex scaling approach. We analyze how the presence of the surface modifies the known lifetimes of Wannier-Stark states…
A two-dimensional periodic optical force field, which combines conservative dipolar forces with vortices from radiation pressure, is proposed in order to influence the diffusion properties of optically susceptible nano-particles. The…
To identify the optimum conditions for the optical trapping of a droplet under microgravity, we theoretically analyzed the efficiency of trapping with counter laser beams. We found that the distance between the two foci is an important…
Analytical solution for optical trapping force on a spherical dielectric particle for an arbitrary positioned focused beam is presented in a generalized Lorenz-Mie and vectorial diffraction theory. In this case the exact electromagnetic…
We investigate a setup where a cloud of atoms is trapped in an optical lattice potential of a standing wave laser field which is created by retro-reflection on a micro-membrane. The membrane vibrations itself realize a quantum mechanical…
The optical force density acting in transparent dielectric media due to short laser excitation is theoretically analyzed. For typical laser pulses with picosecond duration, the momentum component of the optical force becomes of the same…
We investigate lateral recoil forces exerted on nanoparticles located near plasmonic platforms with in-plane nonreciprocal response. To this purpose, we first develop a comprehensive theoretical framework based on the Lorentz force within…
The accurate measurement of the net charge on a nanoparticle is critical in both the research and application of nanoparticles. Particularly, in the field of precision sensing based on optically levitated nanoparticles, the precise…
This letter proposes a scheme for transporting nanoparticles immersed in a fluid, relying on quantum vacuum fluctuations. The mechanism lies in the inhomogeneity-induced lateral Casimir force between a nanoparticle and a gradient…
Optically-induced magnetic resonances in non-magnetic media have unlocked magnetic light-matter interactions and led to new technologies in many research fields. Previous proposals for the levitation of nanoscale particles without…
Achieving quantum-limited motional control of optically trapped particles beyond the sub-micrometer scale is an outstanding problem in levitated optomechanics. A key obstacle is solving the light scattering problem and identifying particle…
Design of a doubly-clamped beam structure capable of localizing mechanical and optical energy at the nanoscale is presented. The optical design is based upon photonic crystal concepts in which patterning of a nanoscale-cross-section beam…