Optical radiation force (per–length) on an electrically conducting elliptical cylinder having a smooth or ribbed surface

Abstract

The aim of this work is to develop a formal semi-analytical model using the modal expansion method in cylindrical coordinates to calculate the optical/electromagnetic (EM) radiation force-per-length experienced by an infinitely long electrically-conducting elliptical cylinder having a smooth or wavy/corrugated surface in EM plane progressive waves with different polarizations. One of the semi-axes of the elliptical cylinder coincides with the direction of the incident field. The modal matching method is used to determine the scattering coefficients by matrix inversion. Standard cylindrical (Bessel and Hankel) wave functions are used. Simplified expressions leading to exact series expansions for the optical/EM radiation forces assuming either electric (TM) of magnetic (TE) plane wave incidences are provided without any approximations, in addition to integral equations demonstrating the direct relationship of the radiation force with the square of the scattered field magnitude. Numerical computations for the non-dimensional radiation force function are performed for electrically conducting elliptic and circular cylinders having a smooth or ribbed/corrugated surface. Adequate convergence plots confirm the validity and correctness of the method to evaluate the radiation force with no limitation to a particular frequency range (i.e. Rayleigh, Mie or geometrical optics regimes). Emphases are given on the aspect ratio, the non-dimensional size of the cylinder, the corrugation characteristic of its surface, and the polarization of the incident field. The results are particularly relevant in optical tweezers and other related applications in fluid dynamics, where the shape and stability of a cylindrical drop stressed by a uniform external electric/magnetic field are altered. Furthermore, a direct analogy with the acoustical counterpart is discussed.