Scattering Forces from the Curl of the Spin Angular Momentum of a Light Field

Silvia Albaladejo, Manuel I. Marqués, Marine Laroche, and Juan José Sáenz
Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 113602 – Published 20 March 2009

Abstract

Light forces on small (Rayleigh) particles are usually described as the sum of two terms: the dipolar or gradient force and the scattering or radiation pressure force. The scattering force is traditionally considered proportional to the Poynting vector, which gives the direction and magnitude of the momentum flow. However, as we will show, there is an additional nonconservative contribution to the scattering force arising in a light field with nonuniform helicity. This force is shown to be proportional to the curl of the spin angular momentum of the light field. The relevance of the spin force is illustrated in the simple case of a 2D field geometry arising in the intersection region of two standing waves.

  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Received 24 November 2008

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.102.113602

©2009 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Silvia Albaladejo1, Manuel I. Marqués2, Marine Laroche3, and Juan José Sáenz1,4,*

  • 1Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
  • 2Departamento de Física de Materiales C-IV, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
  • 3Laboratoire Charles Fabry de l’Institut d’Optique, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, Campus Polytechnique, RD128, 91127 Palaiseau, France
  • 4Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC), Paseo Manuel Lardizabal 4, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain

  • *juanjo.saenz@uam.es

Comments & Replies

Comment on “Scattering Forces from the Curl of the Spin Angular Momentum of a Light Field”

David B. Ruffner and David G. Grier
Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 059301 (2013)

Marqués and Sáenz Reply:

Manuel I. Marqués and Juan José Sáenz
Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 059302 (2013)

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Vol. 102, Iss. 11 — 20 March 2009

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