Creating tunable lateral optical forces through multipolar interplay in single nanowires

Fan Nan (), Francisco J. Rodríguez-Fortuño, Shaohui Yan (), Jack J. Kingsley-Smith, Jack Ng, Baoli Yao, Zijie Yan and Xiaohao Xu ()
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Fan Nan: Jinan University
Francisco J. Rodríguez-Fortuño: King’s College London
Shaohui Yan: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jack J. Kingsley-Smith: King’s College London
Jack Ng: Southern University of Science and Technology
Baoli Yao: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Zijie Yan: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Xiaohao Xu: Chinese Academy of Sciences

Nature Communications, 2023, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract The concept of lateral optical force (LOF) is of general interest in optical manipulation as it releases the constraint of intensity gradient in tightly focused light, yet such a force is normally limited to exotic materials and/or complex light fields. Here, we report a general and controllable LOF in a nonchiral elongated nanoparticle illuminated by an obliquely incident plane wave. Through computational analysis, we reveal that the sign and magnitude of LOF can be tuned by multiple parameters of the particle (aspect ratio, material) and light (incident angle, direction of linear polarization, wavelength). The underlying physics is attributed to the multipolar interplay in the particle, leading to a reduction in symmetry. Direct experimental evidence of switchable LOF is captured by polarization-angle-controlled manipulation of single Ag nanowires using holographic optical tweezers. This work provides a minimalist paradigm to achieve interface-free LOF for optomechanical applications, such as optical sorting and light-driven micro/nanomotors.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42076-x

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