Guiding neutral polar molecules by electromagnetic vortex field

Abstract

ABSTRACT It is shown, within classical mechanics, that the field of an electromagnetic vortex is capable of capturing and guiding neutral molecules endowed with a permanent electric dipole moment (PEDM). Similarly as in the case of the magnetic field applied to elementary particles or atoms, this effect turns out to be very delicate because of the small values of PEDM observed in real molecules. They amount to (electron charge × fermi) or less, which requires the use of very strong electric fields (reaching ). It has also been observed that there exists a threshold in field strength above which the particles are ejected from the trap. Trajectories of guided particles are usually quite chaotic, which is a consequence of non-linearity of the equations of motion. With a very special and precise adjustment of parameters, a regular (i.e. circular, in the transverse plane) trajectory can be obtained. The presence of an additional constant electric field pointing along the direction of the wave propagation might help to achieve the necessary tuning and realize such trajectories.