Abstract

The new principle of radiation-pressure trapping of neutral dielectric particles by means of alternating light beams was demonstrated in an optical levitation experiment. Stable trapping of micron-sized spheres was observed due to alternating scattering-force fields under conditions where stable cw trapping was not possible. Application of this principle to neutral-atom trapping as a means of circumvention of the optical Earnshaw theorem is suggested. A new stable cw optical trap for spheres was also discovered.

Keywords

TrappingRadiation pressureLevitationSPHERESOptical tweezersMaterials scienceAtomic physicsRadiationDielectricOptical radiationLight scatteringScatteringOptical forceEnergetic neutral atomRadiation trappingOpticsPhysicsMolecular physicsOptoelectronicsIon

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Publication Info

Year
1985
Type
article
Volume
54
Issue
12
Pages
1245-1248
Citations
110
Access
Closed

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Cite This

A. Ashkin, J. M. Dziedzic (1985). Observation of Radiation-Pressure Trapping of Particles by Alternating Light Beams. Physical Review Letters , 54 (12) , 1245-1248. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.54.1245

Identifiers

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.54.1245