Open AccessApplication of optical trapping to beam manipulation in optofluidics
Author(s) -
P. Domachuk,
Mark CroninGolomb,
B.J. Eggleton,
Simon Mutzenich,
Gary Rosengarten,
Arnan Mitchell
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/opex.13.007265
Subject(s) - optofluidics , optics , optical tweezers , beam (structure) , light beam , attenuation , microfluidics , beam steering , materials science , physics , nanotechnology
We introduce a novel method of attaining all-optical beam control in an optofluidic device by displacing an optically trapped microsphere through a light beam. The micro-sphere causes the beam to be refracted by various degrees as a function of the sphere position, providing tunable attenuation and beam-steering in the device. The device itself consists of the manipulated light beam extending between two buried waveguides which are on either side of a microfluidic channel. This channel contains the micro-spheres which are suspended in water. We simulate this geometry using the Finite Difference Time Domain method and find good agreement between simulation and experiment.