Electrodynamic multiple-scattering method for the simulation of optical trapping atop periodic metamaterials. Issue 13 (29th July 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yannopapas, Vassilios; Paspalakis, Emmanuel
• Is Part Of: Journal of modern optics. Volume 65:Issue 13(2018)
• Page Start: 1507
• Page End: 1514
• Publication Date: 2018-07-29
• Subjects: Optical trapping -- metamaterials -- plasmonics -- nanostructures -- electrodynamic method; Optics -- Periodicals; 535
• DOI: 10.1080/09500340.2018.1455909
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0950-0340

Abstract

Abstract: We present a new theoretical tool for simulating optical trapping of nanoparticles in the presence of an arbitrary metamaterial design. The method is based on rigorously solving Maxwell's equations for the metamaterial via a hybrid discrete-dipole approximation/multiple-scattering technique and direct calculation of the optical force exerted on the nanoparticle by means of the Maxwell stress tensor. We apply the method to the case of a spherical polystyrene probe trapped within the optical landscape created by illuminating of a plasmonic metamaterial consisting of periodically arranged tapered metallic nanopyramids. The developed technique is ideally suited for general optomechanical calculations involving metamaterial designs and can compete with purely numerical methods such as finite-difference or finite-element schemes.