Self-trapping and back-action effects in hollow photonic crystal cavity optical traps

Abstract

We report on the first experimental demonstration of resonant optical trapping of dielectric particles in a two-dimensional hollow photonic crystal cavity. The cavities are implemented in an optofluidic chip consisting of a silicon-on-insulator substrate and an ultrathin microfluidic membrane, Resonant optical trapping of 500 nm polystyrene beads is achieved using less than 120 mu W optical power in the cavity for trapping times reaching over ten minutes.