Propulsion of clusters of microspheres along sub-wavelength optical wires
Propulsion of clusters of microspheres along sub-wavelength optical wires
The mode field diameter of an optical fibre decreases for decreasing taper diameters until a minimum after which it sharply increases. For small sizes, a considerable fraction of the power propagates outside the physical dimension of the taper and the evanescent field can extend for several microns in the surrounding medium. The evanescent field produced by the sub-micron optical wires (SMOW) can be exploited to trap and propel microspheres. Propulsion experiments were carried out by launching a CW laser light (1047nm) into a SMOW immersed in a water suspension of polystyrene microspheres. A microscope was placed on top of the suspension and images were collected via a CCD camera connected to a PC. Propulsion of 10µm polystyrene particles along a 0.95µm SMOW was observed at an average velocity ~16µm/s for 0.4W of launched power. The propulsion of clusters of 10µm polystyrene particles along a SMOW was also observed for 0.5W of launched power. The cluster physically removes the particles in its path and is propelled at velocities in the range of 2-3 m/s when there are impediments along the path and ~8µm/s when there is no obstruction in its way.
Brambilla, G.
815d9712-62c7-47d1-8860-9451a363a6c8
Murugan, G. Senthil
a867686e-0535-46cc-ad85-c2342086b25b
Wilkinson, J.S.
73483cf3-d9f2-4688-9b09-1c84257884ca
Richardson, D.J.
ebfe1ff9-d0c2-4e52-b7ae-c1b13bccdef3
August 2008
Brambilla, G.
815d9712-62c7-47d1-8860-9451a363a6c8
Murugan, G. Senthil
a867686e-0535-46cc-ad85-c2342086b25b
Wilkinson, J.S.
73483cf3-d9f2-4688-9b09-1c84257884ca
Richardson, D.J.
ebfe1ff9-d0c2-4e52-b7ae-c1b13bccdef3
Brambilla, G., Murugan, G. Senthil, Wilkinson, J.S. and Richardson, D.J.
(2008)
Propulsion of clusters of microspheres along sub-wavelength optical wires.
Photon 08, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
26 - 29 Aug 2008.
Record type:
Conference or Workshop Item
(Paper)
Abstract
The mode field diameter of an optical fibre decreases for decreasing taper diameters until a minimum after which it sharply increases. For small sizes, a considerable fraction of the power propagates outside the physical dimension of the taper and the evanescent field can extend for several microns in the surrounding medium. The evanescent field produced by the sub-micron optical wires (SMOW) can be exploited to trap and propel microspheres. Propulsion experiments were carried out by launching a CW laser light (1047nm) into a SMOW immersed in a water suspension of polystyrene microspheres. A microscope was placed on top of the suspension and images were collected via a CCD camera connected to a PC. Propulsion of 10µm polystyrene particles along a 0.95µm SMOW was observed at an average velocity ~16µm/s for 0.4W of launched power. The propulsion of clusters of 10µm polystyrene particles along a SMOW was also observed for 0.5W of launched power. The cluster physically removes the particles in its path and is propelled at velocities in the range of 2-3 m/s when there are impediments along the path and ~8µm/s when there is no obstruction in its way.
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Published date: August 2008
Venue - Dates:
Photon 08, Edinburgh, United Kingdom, 2008-08-26 - 2008-08-29
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 63364
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/63364
PURE UUID: 5cb26daa-2653-4054-87ac-63cb3b3f2d29
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Date deposited: 21 Oct 2008
Last modified: 06 Mar 2024 02:42
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Contributors
Author:
G. Brambilla
Author:
G. Senthil Murugan
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