Potential engineering of optically trapped nanospheres

Abstract

This thesis documents a first principle analysis of the motion of a levitated particle in the potential defined by a Gaussian optical focus. The linear and nonlinear motional modes enabled by a full expansion of the Gaussian potential are explored and modifications to this potential are engineered by superimposing additional fields in the spatial domain as well as selectively enhancing particular terms in the potential by time driving operations.

We describe new experimental results in modulating the motion of a charged suspended nanoparticle with the dispersion forces projected by its interaction with a dielectric surface and discuss its possible application as a levitated atomic force microscope, as well as future investigations of Casimir-Polder interactions.

Control over the nonlinear terms of the particles motion is demonstrated by generating controllable Fano resonances by using both spatial and temporal potential additions independently. In both cases we generate resonances of positive and negative Fano factors. We also selectively enhance the Duffing factor of the potential to show a controllable double well separation and demonstrate preliminary results of limited chaotic motion of a levitated nanoparticle.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Hendrik Ulbricht: orcid.org/0000-0003-0356-0065

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