Nanowire-type plasmonic waveguides as strong and tunable optical tweezers

A series of nanowire-type plasmonic waveguides are proposed. The mode properties of these waveguides and their dependences on various geometry parameters are studied. It is shown that they can generate deep subwavelength confinement and long-range propagation simultaneously. Moreover, the optical forces exerted on dielectric nanoparticles by these waveguides are calculated. It is found that the optical trapping forces are very strong, and that their distribution can be effectively regulated by certain geometry parameters. Using these features, strong and tunable near-field optical tweezers can be designed.

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Optical Trapping, Sensing, and Imaging by Photonic Nanojets

Photonics ◽

10.3390/photonics8100434 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (10) ◽

pp. 434

Author(s):

Heng Li ◽

Wanying Song ◽

Yanan Zhao ◽

Qin Cao ◽

Ahao Wen

Keyword(s):

Optical Tweezers ◽

Optical Trapping ◽

Near Field ◽

Super Resolution ◽

Diffraction Limit ◽

Research Progress ◽

Optical Forces ◽

Resolution Imaging ◽

Photonic Nanojets ◽

Near Field Scanning

The optical trapping, sensing, and imaging of nanostructures and biological samples are research hotspots in the fields of biomedicine and nanophotonics. However, because of the diffraction limit of light, traditional optical tweezers and microscopy are difficult to use to trap and observe objects smaller than 200 nm. Near-field scanning probes, metamaterial superlenses, and photonic crystals have been designed to overcome the diffraction limit, and thus are used for nanoscale optical trapping, sensing, and imaging. Additionally, photonic nanojets that are simply generated by dielectric microspheres can break the diffraction limit and enhance optical forces, detection signals, and imaging resolution. In this review, we summarize the current types of microsphere lenses, as well as their principles and applications in nano-optical trapping, signal enhancement, and super-resolution imaging, with particular attention paid to research progress in photonic nanojets for the trapping, sensing, and imaging of biological cells and tissues.

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Analysis of the Nanoscale Manipulation Using Near-Field Optical Tweezers Combined with AFM Probe

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.188.184 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 188 ◽

pp. 184-189

Author(s):

Bing Hui Liu ◽

Li Jun Yang ◽

J. Tang ◽

Yang Wang ◽

Ju Long Yuan

Keyword(s):

Optical Tweezers ◽

Near Field ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Direct Calculation ◽

Maxwell Stress Tensor ◽

Optical Fiber Probe ◽

Nanometric Particles ◽

Afm Probe ◽

Trapping Forces ◽

Manipulation Capability

In recent years, optical manipulators based on forces exerted by enhanced evanescent field close to near-field optical probes have provided the access to nonintrusive manipulation of nanometric particles. However, the manipulation capability is restricted to the intensity enhancement of the probe tip due to low emitting efficiency. Here a near-field optical trapping scheme using the combination of an optical fiber probe and an AFM metallic probe is developed theoretically. Calculations are made to analyze the field distributions including tip interaction and the trapping forces in the near-field region by applying a direct calculation of Maxwell stress tensor using three-dimensional FDTD. The results show that the scheme is able to trap particle at the nanoscale with lower laser intensity than that required by conventional near-field optical tweezers.

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Axial optical trapping forces on two particles trapped simultaneously by optical tweezers

Applied Optics ◽

10.1364/ao.44.002667 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 44 (13) ◽

pp. 2667 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Shenghua Xu ◽

Yinmei Li ◽

Liren Lou

Keyword(s):

Optical Tweezers ◽

Optical Trapping ◽

Trapping Forces

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Optical Manipulation with Plasmonic Beam Shaping Antenna Structures

Advances in OptoElectronics ◽

10.1155/2012/595646 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 2012 ◽

pp. 1-6 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Young Chul Jun ◽

Igal Brener

Keyword(s):

Optical Trapping ◽

Near Field ◽

Beam Shaping ◽

Optical Force ◽

Metal Nanostructures ◽

Optical Manipulation ◽

Far Field ◽

Optical Forces ◽

Optical Components

Near-field optical trapping of objects using plasmonic antenna structures has recently attracted great attention. However, metal nanostructures also provide a compact platform for general wavefront engineering of intermediate and far-field beams. Here, we analyze optical forces generated by plasmonic beam shaping antenna structures and show that they can be used for general optical manipulation such as guiding of a dielectric particle along a linear or curved trajectory. This removes the need for bulky diffractive optical components and facilitates the integration of optical force manipulation into a highly functional, compact system.

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Enhanced Optical Forces by Hybrid Long-Range Plasmonic Waveguides

Journal of Lightwave Technology ◽

10.1109/jlt.2013.2283271 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 31 (21) ◽

pp. 3432-3438 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Lin Chen ◽

Tian Zhang ◽

Xun Li

Keyword(s):

Long Range ◽

Optical Forces ◽

Plasmonic Waveguides

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Nanometric plasmonic optical trapping on gold nanostructures

The European Physical Journal Applied Physics ◽

10.1051/epjap/2019180347 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 86 (3) ◽

pp. 30501

Author(s):

Domna G. Kotsifaki ◽

Mersini Makropoulou ◽

Alexander A. Searfetinides

Keyword(s):

Optical Tweezers ◽

Single Molecule ◽

Optical Trapping ◽

Numerical Aperture ◽

Resonance Wavelength ◽

Objective Lens ◽

Plasmonic Nanostructures ◽

Theoretical Support ◽

Trapping Force ◽

Trapping Forces

The precise noninvasive optical manipulation of nanometer-sized particles by evanescent fields, instead of the conventional optical tweezers, has recently awaken an increasing interest, opening a way for investigating phenomena relevant to both fundamental and applied science. In this work, the optical trapping force exerted on trapped dielectric nanoparticle was theoretically investigated as a function on the trapping beam wavelength and as a function of several plasmonic nanostructures schemes based on numerical simulation. The maximum optical trapping forces are obtained at the resonance wavelength for each plasmonic nanostructure geometry. Prominent tunabilities, such as radius and separation of gold nanoparticles as well as the numerical aperture of objective lens were examined. This work will provide theoretical support for developing new types of plasmonic sensing substrates for exciting biomedical applications such as single-molecule fluorescence.

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