Theoretical Analysis and Experimental Verification of the Influence of Polarization on Counter-Propagating Optical Tweezers

Abstract

Counter-propagating optical tweezers are experimental platforms for the frontier exploration of science and precision measurement. The polarization of the trapping beams significantly affects the trapping status. Using the T-matrix method, we numerically analyzed the optical force distribution and the resonant frequency of counter-propagating optical tweezers in different polarizations. We also verified the theoretical result by comparing it with the experimentally observed resonant frequency. Our analysis shows that polarization has little influence on the radial axis motion, while the axial axis force distribution and the resonant frequency are sensitive to polarization change. Our work can be used in designing harmonic oscillators which can change their stiffness conveniently, and monitoring polarization in counter-propagating optical tweezers.

Keywords

• optical tweezers
• T-matrix
• polarization