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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 9, 2026

The Generation of Higher-order Laguerre-Gauss Optical Beams for High-precision Interferometry

The Generation of Higher-order Laguerre-Gauss Optical Beams for High-precision Interferometry

Published on: August 12, 2013

Attractive optical forces from blackbody radiation.

M Sonnleitner¹, M Ritsch-Marte, H Ritsch

¹Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 25, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria.

Physical Review Letters

|July 30, 2013

Summary

Hot objects generate a "blackbody force" from radiation that can pull atoms, like hydrogen, towards surfaces, even overcoming gravity. This overlooked force is significant in astrophysical environments.

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Published on: July 21, 2018

Area of Science:

Atomic and Molecular Physics
Astrophysics
Quantum Optics

Background:

Blackbody radiation from hot objects causes AC Stark shifts in atomic and molecular energy levels.
These shifts are temperature-dependent and create forces that decay with distance.

Purpose of the Study:

To explicitly calculate the blackbody optical dipole force on ground state hydrogen atoms.
To investigate the conditions under which this force overcomes radiation pressure and gravity.

Main Methods:

Theoretical calculation of the blackbody optical dipole force.
Analysis of the force's dependence on temperature and distance.
Comparison with radiation pressure and gravitational forces.

Main Results:

The calculated attractive blackbody optical dipole force can exceed repulsive radiation pressure.
This force can pull hydrogen atoms towards a hot object, counteracting radiation flow.
The blackbody force is demonstrated to be stronger than gravity for hydrogen near hot dust particles.

Conclusions:

An overlooked attractive force, termed the "blackbody force," is significant in astrophysical scenarios.
This force has implications for the behavior of atoms and molecules near hot broadband radiation sources.
The findings are relevant for understanding atomic interactions in diverse cosmic environments.