The lensing effect of trapped particles in a dual-beam optical trap.

Abstract

In dual-beam optical traps, two counterpropagating, divergent laser beams emitted from opposing laser fibers trap and manipulate dielectric particles. We investigate the lensing effect that trapped particles have on the beams. Our approach makes use of the intrinsic coupling of a beam to the opposing fiber after having passed the trapped particle. We present measurements of this coupling signal for PDMS particles, as well as a model for its dependence on size and refractive index of the trapped particle. As a more complex sample, the coupling of inhomogeneous biological cells is measured and discussed. We show that the lensing effect is well captured by the simple ray optics approximation. The measurements reveal intricate details, such as the thermal lens effect of the beam propagation in a dual-beam trap. For a particle of known size, the model further allows to infer its refractive index simply from the coupling signal.