Optically driven micromachine elements
Journal article, 2001

We report on a proof of principle demonstration of an optically driven micromachine element. Optical angular momentum is transferred from a circularly polarized laser beam to a birefringent particle confined in an optical tweezers trap. The optical torque causes the particle to spin at up to 350 Hz, and this torque is harnessed to drive an optically trapped microfabricated structure. We describe a photolithographic method for producing the microstructures and show how a light driven motor could be used in a micromachine system.

alignment

angular-momentum

spin

particles

Author

M. E. J. Friese

Halina Rubinsetein

Julie Gold

Chalmers, Applied Physics, Chemical Physics

Petter Hagberg

University of Gothenburg

Dag Hanstorp

University of Gothenburg

Applied Physics Letters

0003-6951 (ISSN) 1077-3118 (eISSN)

Vol. 78 4 547-549

Subject Categories

Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics

Nano Technology

DOI

10.1063/1.1339995

More information

Created

10/8/2017