Two-slab all-optical spring

Opt Lett. 2007 Mar 15;32(6):692-4. doi: 10.1364/ol.32.000692.

Abstract

It is demonstrated that a waveguide consisting of two dielectric slabs may become an all-optical spring when guiding a superposition of two transverse evanescent modes. Both slabs are transversally trapped in stable equilibrium due to the optical forces developed. A condition for stable equilibrium on the wavenumbers of the two modes is expressed analytically. The spring constant characterizing the system is shown to have a maximal value as a function of the equilibrium distance between the slabs and their width.