1,437 research outputs found
Multidimensional optical fractionation with holographic verification
The trajectories of colloidal particles driven through a periodic potential
energy landscape can become kinetically locked in to directions dictated by the
landscape's symmetries. When the landscape is realized with forces exerted by a
structured light field, the path a given particle follows has been predicted to
depend exquisitely sensitively on such properties as the particle's size and
refractive index These predictions, however, have not been tested
experimentally. Here, we describe measurements of colloidal silica spheres'
transport through arrays of holographic optical traps that use holographic
video microscopy to track individual spheres' motions in three dimensions and
simultaneously to measure each sphere's radius and refractive index with
part-per-thousand resolution. These measurements confirm previously untested
predictions for the threshold of kinetically locked-in transport, and
demonstrate the ability of optical fractionation to sort colloidal spheres with
part-per-thousand resolution on multiple characteristics simultaneously.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures. Accepted for publication in Physical Review
Letter
Investigation of high voltage spacecraft system interactions with plasma environments
An experimental investigation was undertaken for insulator and conductor test surfaces biased up to + or - 1kV in a simulated low earth orbit charged particle environment. It was found that these interactions are controlled by the insulator surfaces surrounding the biased conductors. For positive applied voltages the electron current collection can be enhanced by the insulators. For negative applied voltages the insulator surface confines the voltage to the conductor region. Understanding these interactions and the technology to control their impact on system operation is essential to the design of solar cell arrays for ion drive propulsion applications that use direct drive power processing
High-precision spectroscopy of ultracold molecules in an optical lattice
The study of ultracold molecules tightly trapped in an optical lattice can
expand the frontier of precision measurement and spectroscopy, and provide a
deeper insight into molecular and fundamental physics. Here we create, probe,
and image microkelvin Sr molecules in a lattice, and demonstrate
precise measurements of molecular parameters as well as coherent control of
molecular quantum states using optical fields. We discuss the sensitivity of
the system to dimensional effects, a new bound-to-continuum spectroscopy
technique for highly accurate binding energy measurements, and prospects for
new physics with this rich experimental system.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figure
Colloidal Electrostatic Interactions Near a Conducting Surface
Charge-stabilized colloidal spheres dispersed in deionized water are supposed
to repel each other. Instead, artifact-corrected video microscopy measurements
reveal an anomalous long-ranged like-charge attraction in the interparticle
pair potential when the spheres are confined to a layer by even a single
charged glass surface. These attractions can be masked by electrostatic
repulsions at low ionic strengths. Coating the bounding surfaces with a
conducting gold layer suppresses the attraction. These observations suggest a
possible mechanism for confinement-induced attractions.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure
T.V. viewing guide: "The Adams Chronicles"
T.V. viewing guide: "The Adams Chronicles
Spin-induced angular momentum switching
When light is transmitted through optically inhomogeneous and anisotropic
media the spatial distribution of light can be modified according to its input
polarization state. A complete analysis of this process, based on the paraxial
approximation, is presented, and we show how it can be exploited to produce a
spin-controlled-change in the orbital angular momentum of light beams
propagating in patterned space-variant-optical-axis phase plates. We also
unveil a new effect. The development of a strong modulation in the angular
momentum change upon variation of the optical path through the phase plates.Comment: The original paper of the published version in Opt. Let
Observation of Flux Reversal in a Symmetric Optical Thermal Ratchet
We demonstrate that a cycle of three holographic optical trapping patterns
can implement a thermal ratchet for diffusing colloidal spheres, and that the
ratchet-driven transport displays flux reversal as a function of the cycle
frequency and the inter-trap separation. Unlike previously described ratchet
models, the approach we describe involves three equivalent states, each of
which is locally and globally spatially symmetric, with spatiotemporal symmetry
being broken by the sequence of states.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, submitted for publication in Physical Review
Letter
Electromagnetically induced spatial light modulation
We theoretically report that, utilizing electromagnetically induced
transparency (EIT), the transverse spatial properties of weak probe fields can
be fast modulated by using optical patterns (e.g. images) with desired
intensity distributions in the coupling fields. Consequently, EIT systems can
function as high-speed optically addressed spatial light modulators. To
exemplify our proposal, we indicate the generation and manipulation of
Laguerre-Gaussian beams based on either phase or amplitude modulation in hot
vapor EIT systems.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figure
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