Abstract

Optical trapping of sub−micrometer particles in three dimensions has been attracting increasing attention in a wide variety of fields such as physics, chemistry, and biologics. Optical fibers that allow stable trapping of such particles are not readily available but beneficial in system integration and miniaturization. Here, we present a readily accessible batch fabrication method, namely fiber pulling assisted tubeless chemical etching, to obtain sharp tapered optical fibers from regular telecommunication single−mode fibers. We demonstrated the applications of such fiber tapers in two non−plasmonic optical trapping systems, namely single− and dual−fiber−taper−based trapping systems. We realized single particle trapping, multiple particle trapping, optical binding, and optical guiding with sub−micrometer silica particles. Particularly, using the dual fiber system, we observed the three−dimensional optical trapping of swarm sub−micrometer particles, which is more challenging to realize than trapping a single particle. Because of the capability of sub−micrometer particle trapping and the accessible batch fabrication method, the fiber taper−based trapping systems are highly potential tools that can find many applications in biology and physics.

Highlights

  • Tapers Fabricated by Fiber PullingOptical trapping of microscopic particles is a promising method and has been a rich area of research since the pioneering work of Ashkin and coworkers in the 1970s [1]

  • We present a readily accessible fabrication method, namely fiber pulling assisted tubeless chemical etching, that enables the reliable creation of fiber tapers at the tip of regular single−mode fibers (SMF−28, Corning), without any need for cleanroom equipment

  • We demonstrated the applications of such fiber tapers in two non−plasmonic trapping systems, namely single and dual−fiber−taper−based optical trapping systems, for trapping sub−micrometer particles

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Summary

Introduction

Optical trapping of microscopic particles is a promising method and has been a rich area of research since the pioneering work of Ashkin and coworkers in the 1970s [1]. According to all the above−mentioned works, it is attractive to develop accessible sharp fiber tips to realize the 3D trapping of sub−micrometer particles These sharp fiber tips contain no conductors to minimize absorption−induced thermal effects and can be made from non−specialty optical fibers, such as telecommunication single−mode fibers, by a simple chemical etching method that does not need any cleanroom access. Such tapered fibers can open promising perspectives in physical, chemical, and especially biological applications. With the capability of swarm sub−micrometer trapping enabled by the readily accessible fiber tapers, thanks to the straightforward batch fabrication process, the single and dual fiber−taper−based optical trapping systems can be used in many applications

Unique Tubeless Chemical Etching Combined with Fiber Pulling
Working Principle of Fiber Taper Based Trapping
Experimental
Results
Numerical simulations and the experimental of the
Optical Binding Effect
Conclusions
Full Text
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