Optical pulling using evanescent mode in sub-wavelength channels

Abstract

Optical evanescent wave in total internal reflection has been widely used in efficient optical manipulation, where the object is trapped by the intrinsic intensity gradient of the evanescent wave while transported by the scattering force along the orthogonal direction. Here, we propose a distinct optical manipulation scheme using the attenuated modes in subwavelength optical channels, where both the trapping and transportation forces are along the channel direction. We create such a mode in a sub-wavelength photonic crystal waveguide and quantitatively obtain the net pushing and pulling forces, which can overcome the Brownian motion within a critical length. Due to the presence of the physical channel, subwavelength trapping on the transverse direction is natural, and manipulation along bend trajectories is also possible without the assistance of the self-acceleration beams provided a channel is adopted. This optical manipulation method can be extended to any other channels that support attenuation mode, and may provide an alternate way for flexible optical manipulation.