Quantum Materials for AMO Applications

The use of optical forces to create a trapping potential has allowed precise control of objects at the nanoscale. Such structures which are frequently referred to as nanotweezers, enable a broad range of applications in various biological and physical fields. In contrast to nanotweezers, traditional optical manipulation techniques, such as lenses, provide a limited control due to the physical diffraction limit of light. On the other hand, by using precisely designed metallic nanostructures, modern nanotweezers counter this limit by molding and amplifying light into subwavelength areas. A typical optical trap design employs a joint double nanohole structure milled on a thin film metal substrate. These apertures rely on concentrating the light to create an enhanced electric field in the center of the two cylindrical nanoholes, allowing a nanoscale particle to get stably trapped. Our project demonstrates the capability of this base shape trapping potential getting significantly enhanced through optimization algorithms on a unique three-center nanohole design with different figures of merit. Our work aims to increase the effectiveness of present high functioning nanotweezers, particularly in the low-power regime.

 

Supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 2138869.