Emergent properties in optically bound matter

Taylor, J.M.; Wong, L.Y.; Bain, C.D.; Love, G.D.

Abstract

Sub-micron particles have been observed to spontaneously form regular two-dimensional structures in counterpropagating evanescent laser fields. We show that collective properties of large numbers of optically-trapped particles can be qualitatively different to the properties of small numbers. This is demonstrated both with a computer model and with experimental results. As the number of particles in the structure is increased, optical binding forces can be sufficiently large to overcome the optical landscape imposed by the interference fringes of the laser beams and impose a different, competing structure.

Citation

Taylor, J., Wong, L., Bain, C., & Love, G. (2008). Emergent properties in optically bound matter. Optics Express, 16(10), 6921-6929. https://doi.org/10.1364/oe.16.006921

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 26, 2008
• Online Publication Date: Apr 30, 2008
• Publication Date: May 12, 2008
• Deposit Date: Jan 30, 2012
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 29, 2012
• Journal: Optics Express
• Electronic ISSN: 1094-4087
• Publisher: Optica
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 16
• Issue: 10
• Pages: 6921-6929
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1364/oe.16.006921
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1511556