Observation of Bistability and Hysteresis in Optical Binding of Two Dielectric Spheres

N. K. Metzger, K. Dholakia, and E. M. Wright
Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 068102 – Published 16 February 2006

Abstract

Using a dual-beam fiber optic trap, we have experimentally observed bistability and hysteresis in the equilibrium separations of a pair of optically bound dielectric spheres in one dimension. These observations are in agreement with our coupled system model in which the dielectric spheres modify the field propagation, and the field self-consistently determines the optical forces on the spheres. Our results reveal hitherto unsuspected complexity in the coupled light-sphere system.

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  • Received 13 July 2005

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.068102

©2006 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

N. K. Metzger1,*, K. Dholakia1,2, and E. M. Wright1,2

  • 1SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St. Andrews, North Haugh, St. Andrews KY16 9SS, United Kingdom
  • 2College of Optical Sciences and Department of Physics, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA

  • *Corresponding author. Electronic address: nkm2@st-and.ac.uk

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Issue

Vol. 96, Iss. 6 — 17 February 2006

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