Related papers: Optical alignment and spinning of laser-trapped mi…
We show theoretically and demonstrate experimentally that highly absorbing particles can be trapped and manipulated in a single highly focused Gaussian beam. Our studies of the effects of polarized light on such particles show that they can…
We introduce a new class of optical micromotors driven by the spin-orbit interaction of light and spin-driven fluid flows leading to simultaneous rotation and revolution of the micromotors. The micromotors are essentially birefringent…
Radiation pressure forces in a focussed laser beam can be used to trap microscopic absorbing particles against a substrate. Calculations based on momentum transfer considerations show that stable trapping occurs before the beam waist, and…
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…
Optical trapping of metallic microparticles remains a big challenge because of the strong scattering and absorption of light by the particles. In the paper, we report a new mechanism for stable trapping of metallic microparticles by using a…
We present a method to measure the optical torque applied to particles of arbitrary shape held in an optical trap, inferred from the change of angular momentum of light induced by the particle. All torque components can be determined from a…
The force exerted on nanoparticles and atomic clusters by fast passing electrons like those employed in transmission electron microscopes are calculated and integrated over time to yield the momentum transferred from the electrons to the…
The force exerted on nanoparticles and atomic clusters by fast passing electrons like those employed in transmission electron microscopes are calculated and integrated over time to yield the momentum transferred from the electrons to the…
The spin angular momentum in an elliptically polarized beam of light plays several noteworthy roles in optical traps. It contributes to the linear momentum density in a non-uniform beam, and thus to the radiation pressure exerted on…
Trapping and manipulation of particles using laser beams has become an important tool in diverse fields of research. In recent years, particular interest is given to the problem of conveying optically trapped particles over extended…
We show how it is possible to controllably rotate or align microscopic particles of isotropic nonabsorbing material in a TEM00 Gaussian beam trap, with simultaneous measurement of the applied torque using purely optical means. This is a…
An all-optical method of ultrafast spin rotation is put forward to precisely manipulate the polarization of relativistic charged particle beams of leptons or ions. In particular, laser-driven dense ultrashort beams are manipulated via…
We experimentally demonstrate orbiting of isotropic, dielectric microparticles around an optical nanofiber that guides elliptically polarized fundamental modes. The driving transverse radiation force appears in the evanescent…
A strongly focused laser beam can be used to trap, manipulate and exert torque on a microparticle. The torque is the result of transfer of angular momentum by scattering of the laser beam. The laser could be used to drive a rotor, impeller,…
Optical trapping, where microscopic particles are trapped and manipulated by light is a powerful and widespread technique, with the single-beam gradient trap (also known as optical tweezers) in use for a large number of biological and other…
The orbital angular momentum of an optical vortex field is found to twist high viscosity donor material to form a micron-scale 'spin jet'. This unique phenomenon manifests the helical trajectory of the optical vortex. Going beyond both the…
Optical trapping and manipulation using laser beams play a key role in many areas including biology, atomic science, and nanofabrication. Here, we propose and experimentally demonstrate the first use of a vortex-pair beam in optical…
Optical forces allow manipulation of small particles and control of nanophotonic structures with light beams. Here, we describe a counter-intuitive lateral optical force acting on particles placed above a substrate, under uniform plane wave…
Photons carry linear momentum, and spin angular momentum when circularly or elliptically polarized. During light-matter interaction, transfer of linear momentum leads to optical forces, while angular momentum transfer induces optical…
Near-field patterns of light provide a way to optically trap, deliver and sort single nanoscopic particles in a wide variety of applications in nanophotonics, microbiology and nanotechnology. Using rigorous electromagnetic theory, we…