Abstract
We prove an optical radiation Earnshaw theorem: A small dielectric particle cannot be trapped by using only the scattering force of optical radiation pressure. A corollary is that the gradient or dipole force is necessary to any successful optical trap. We discuss the implications of the theorem for recent proposals for the optical trapping of neutral atoms.
Keywords
Radiation pressureOptical forceOptical tweezersPressure-gradient forcePhysicsFluctuation-dissipation theoremOpticsTrappingRadiationOptical radiationDielectricScatteringDipoleParticle (ecology)Optical theoremClassical mechanicsScattering theoryQuantum mechanics
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Publication Info
- Year
- 1983
- Type
- article
- Volume
- 8
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 511-511
- Citations
- 172
- Access
- Closed
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Cite This
A. Ashkin,
J. P. Gordon
(1983).
Stability of radiation-pressure particle traps: an optical Earnshaw theorem.
Optics Letters
, 8
(10)
, 511-511.
https://doi.org/10.1364/ol.8.000511
Identifiers
- DOI
- 10.1364/ol.8.000511