Tumbling and anomalous alignment of optically levitated anisotropic microparticles in chiral hollow-core photonic crystal fiber

Xie S, Sharma A, Romodina M, Joly N, Russell PSJ (2021)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2021

Journal

Science Advances American Association for the Advancement of Science

Book Volume: 7

Article Number: eabf6053

Journal Issue: 28

DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abf6053

Abstract

The complex tumbling motion of spinning nonspherical objects is a topic of enduring interest, both in popular culture and in advanced scientific research. Here, we report all-optical control of the spin, precession, and nutation of vaterite microparticles levitated by counterpropagating circularly polarized laser beams guided in chiral hollow-core fiber. The circularly polarized light causes the anisotropic particles to spin about the fiber axis, while, regulated by minimization of free energy, dipole forces tend to align the extraordinary optical axis of positive uniaxial particles into the plane of rotating electric field. The end result is that, accompanied by oscillatory nutation, the optical axis reaches a stable tilt angle with respect to the plane of the electric field. The results reveal new possibilities for manipulating optical alignment through rotational degrees of freedom, with applications in the control of micromotors and microgyroscopes, laser alignment of polyatomic molecules, and study of rotational cell mechanics.

Authors with CRIS profile

Abhinav Sharma Lehrstuhl für Experimentalphysik (Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach-Professur) Nicolas Joly Professur für Experimentalphysik (Photonik) Philip St. John Russell Lehrstuhl für Experimentalphysik (Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach-Professur)

Involved external institutions

Max-Planck-Institut für die Physik des Lichts (MPL) / Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Xie, S., Sharma, A., Romodina, M., Joly, N., & Russell, P.S.J. (2021). Tumbling and anomalous alignment of optically levitated anisotropic microparticles in chiral hollow-core photonic crystal fiber. Science Advances, 7(28). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abf6053

MLA:

Xie, Shangran, et al. "Tumbling and anomalous alignment of optically levitated anisotropic microparticles in chiral hollow-core photonic crystal fiber." Science Advances 7.28 (2021).

BibTeX: Download