Regular oscillations and random motion of glass microspheres levitated by a single optical beam in air

Opt Express. 2016 Feb 8;24(3):2850-7. doi: 10.1364/OE.24.002850.

Abstract

We experimentally report on optical binding of many glass particles in air that levitate in a single optical beam. A diversity of particle sizes and shapes interact at long range in a single Gaussian beam. Our system dynamics span from oscillatory to random and dimensionality ranges from 1 to 3D. The low loss for the center of mass motion of the beads could allow this system to serve as a standard many body testbed, similar to what is done today with atoms, but at the mesoscopic scale.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't