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Transverse radiation force in a tailored optical fiber

Iver Brevik and Simen Å. Ellingsen
Phys. Rev. A 81, 011806(R) – Published 27 January 2010

Abstract

We show, by means of simple model calculations, how a weak laser beam sent though an optical fiber exerts a transverse radiation force if there is an azimuthal asymmetry present in the fiber such that one side has a slightly different refractive index than the other. The refractive index difference Δn needs only to be very low, of order 103, to produce an appreciable transverse displacement of order 10 μm. We argue that the effect has probably already been seen in a recent experiment by W. She et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 243601 (2008)], and we discuss the correspondence between these observations and the theory presented. The effect could be used to bend optical fibers in a predictable and controlled manner and we propose that it could be useful for micron-scale devices.

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  • Received 31 August 2009

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.81.011806

©2010 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Iver Brevik and Simen Å. Ellingsen*

  • Department of Energy and Process Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, N-7491 Trondheim, Norway

  • *simen.a.ellingsen@ntnu.no

Comments & Replies

Comment on ``Transverse radiation force in a tailored optical fiber''

V. P. Torchigin and A. V. Torchigin
Phys. Rev. A 88, 027801 (2013)

Reply to “Comment on ‘Transverse radiation force in a tailored optical fiber’ ”

Iver Brevik and Simen Å. Ellingsen
Phys. Rev. A 88, 027802 (2013)

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Vol. 81, Iss. 1 — January 2010

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