Abstract
The all-optical trapping of microscopic particles has a range of practical
applications in biology, physical chemistry and condensed matter physics. The
optical tweezing of transparent particles relies on counterbalancing the scattering
and gradient force. However, absorbing particles in gaseous and liquid media are
mainly affected by the photophoretic force that can exceed the scattering and
gradient force by orders of magnitude. In most cases, the photophoretic force pushes
the particles away from the regions of maximum light intensity, thus precluding
optical trapping and manipulation with conventional Gaussian beams. Only recently,
by employing hollowcore vortex beams, has the very possibility of photophoretic
trapping and guiding of lightabsorbing particles along the beam axis in air been
demonstrated.
© 2012 Optical Society of America
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