Near-field electromagnetic trapping of particles is generally obtained by means of gradient forces. In this paper, we discuss the attractive behavior of curl-spin forces, as well as their potential for near-field electromagnetic trapping and manipulation. It is demonstrated that curl-spin forces enable the trapping of particles operating at their resonant frequency. Such phenomena can be exploited to design more efficient and selective electromagnetic traps, to boost near-field energy exchange systems, and to bring stability to coupled resonant radiators. It also is illustrated how the balance between the gradient, radiation pressure, and curl-spin force components leads to the formation of zero-force rings around their sources, which explicitly demarcate the trapping regions. Analytical and numerical analyses are presented to assess the stability of the trapping mechanism.

• Received 27 January 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.87.063807