Abstract

In this work, we present for the first time a new and realistic application of the “perfect lens”, namely, electromagnetic traps (or tweezers). We combined two recently developed techniques, 3D negative refraction flat lenses (3DNRFLs) and optical tweezers, and experimentally demonstrated the very unique advantages of using 3DNRFLs for electromagnetic traps. Super-resolution and short focal distance of the flat lens result in a highly focused and strongly convergent beam, which is a key requirement for a stable and accurate electromagnetic trap. The translation symmetry of 3DNRFL provides translation-invariance for imaging, which allows an electromagnetic trap to be translated without moving the lens, and permits a trap array by using multiple sources with a single lens. Electromagnetic trapping was demonstrated using polystyrene particles in suspension, and subsequent to being trapped to a single point, they were then accurately manipulated over a large distance by simple movement of a 3DNRFL-imaged microwave monopole source.

©2006 Optical Society of America

Tapered fiber optical tweezers for microscopic particle trapping: fabrication and application

Zhihai Liu, Chengkai Guo, Jun Yang, and Libo Yuan
Opt. Express 14(25) 12510-12516 (2006)

Optical trapping near a photonic crystal

Adel Rahmani and Patrick C. Chaumet
Opt. Express 14(13) 6353-6358 (2006)

Negative refraction and flat-lens focusing in a 2D square-lattice photonic crystal at microwave and millimeter wave frequencies

R. Meisels, R. Gajić, F. Kuchar, and K. Hingerl
Opt. Express 14(15) 6766-6777 (2006)

An optical trapped microhand for manipulating micron-sized objects

Graeme Whyte, Graham Gibson, Jonathan Leach, Miles Padgett, Daniel Robert, and Mervyn Miles
Opt. Express 14(25) 12497-12502 (2006)

Holographic optical trapping of aerosol droplets

D. R. Burnham and D. McGloin
Opt. Express 14(9) 4175-4181 (2006)