Optical trapping with a perfect vortex beam

Mingzhou Chen; Michael Mazilu; Yoshihiko Arita; Ewan M. Wright; Kishan Dholakia

doi:10.1117/12.2064080

16 September 2014 Optical trapping with a perfect vortex beam

Mingzhou Chen, Michael Mazilu, Yoshihiko Arita, Ewan M. Wright, Kishan Dholakia

Proceedings Volume 9164, Optical Trapping and Optical Micromanipulation XI; 91640K (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2064080
Event: SPIE NanoScience + Engineering, 2014, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Vortex beams with different topological charge usually have different profiles and radii of peak intensity. This introduces a degree of complexity the fair study of the nature of optical OAM (orbital angular momentum). To avoid this, we introduced a new approach by creating a perfect vortex beam using an annular illuminating beam with a fixed intensity profile on an SLM that imposes a chosen topological charge. The radial intensity profile of such an experimentally created perfect vortex beam is independent to any given integer value of its topological charge. The well-defined OAM density in such a perfect vortex beam is probed by trapping microscope particles. The rotation rate of a trapped necklace of particles is measured for both integer and non-integer topological charge. Experimental results agree with the theoretical prediction. With the flexibility of our approach, local OAM density can be corrected in situ to overcome the problem of trapping the particle in the intensity hotspots. The correction of local OAM density in the perfect vortex beam therefore enables a single trapped particle to move along the vortex ring at a constant angular velocity that is independent of the azimuthal position. Due to its particular nature, the perfect vortex beam may be applied to other studies in optical trapping of particles, atoms or quantum gases.

Citation Download Citation

Mingzhou Chen, Michael Mazilu, Yoshihiko Arita, Ewan M. Wright, and Kishan Dholakia "Optical trapping with a perfect vortex beam", Proc. SPIE 9164, Optical Trapping and Optical Micromanipulation XI, 91640K (16 September 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2064080

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available