Spirally rotating particles with structured beams generated by phase-shifted zone plates

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Optical Manipulation
• Soft Matter Physics

Background:

• Structured optical beams have significantly advanced optical manipulation.
• Existing methods often rely on specific intensity distributions for particle trapping.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel method for generating structured beams using phase-shifted zone plates.
• To demonstrate the capability of these beams for trapping and guiding particles on open curved trajectories.

Main Methods:

• Utilized phase-shifted zone plates as beam-shaping diffractive optical elements.
• Generated beams with twisted phase and/or intensity along a curve.
• Investigated particle trapping and guiding on open curved trajectories.

Main Results:

• Successfully generated structured beams capable of twisting phase and intensity along curves.
• Demonstrated continuous particle motion guidance on open curved trajectories.
• Showcased control over the spiral rotation trajectory and rate of trapped particles.

Conclusions:

• Phase-shifted zone plates offer a versatile technique for creating structured beams.
• This method provides a promising approach for advanced optical manipulation beyond traditional constraints.
• The ability to control particle trajectories on open curves opens new possibilities in the field.