Lateral chirality-sorting optical forces.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 26453555.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1073/pnas.1516704112 and PMC identifier 4629360.
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Abstract
The transverse component of the spin angular momentum of evanescent waves gives rise to lateral optical forces on chiral particles, which have the unusual property of acting in a direction in which there is neither a field gradient nor wave propagation. Because their direction and strength depends on the chiral polarizability of the particle, they act as chirality-sorting and may offer a mechanism for passive chirality spectroscopy. The absolute strength of the forces also substantially exceeds that of other recently predicted sideways optical forces.