Optical pulling force on nanoparticle clusters with gain due to Fano-like resonance

We demonstrate that, in a simple linearly-polarized plane wave, the optical pulling forces on nanoparticle clusters with gain can be induced by the Fano-like resonance. The numerical results based on the full-wave calculation show that the optical pulling forces can be attributed to the recoil forces for the nanoparticle clusters composed of dipolar nanoparticles with three different configurations. Interestingly, the recoil forces giving rise to optical pulling forces are exactly dominated by the coupling term between the electric and magnetic dipoles excited in the nanoparticle clusters, while other higher-order terms have a negligible contribution. In addition, the optical pulling force can be tailored by modulating the Fano-like resonance via either the particle size or the gain magnitude, offering an alternative freedom degree for optical manipulations of particle clusters.     

应力未饱和粮仓系统中器壁与颗粒的摩擦阻力

对于仓壁不固定的粮仓系统,其底部压力会随颗粒高度线性增加.由于没有Janssen应力饱和现象,其力学状态与通常粮仓系统显然不同.通过上拉和下压这种应力未饱和粮仓系统的仓壁,实验研究了不同顶部负载时颗粒介质与仓壁的最大静摩擦阻力.结果显示阻力随颗粒质量的增加在上拉时呈线性增长关系,但在下压时呈指数增长关系,下压阻力强度比上拉时大一个量级以上.此外阻力与顶部负载呈线性变化关系.这些测量很好地符合了基于应力转向比为常数的假设（即Janssen假设）下给出的连续力学理论计算,表明该假设对于此应力未饱和粮仓系统依然适用. 关键词： 颗粒物质 粮仓 静摩擦 应力转向比     

Spectral singularities of a complex spherical barrier potential and their optical realization

The mathematical notion of a spectral singularity admits a physical interpretation as a zero-width resonance. It finds an optical realization as a certain type of lasing effect that occurs at the threshold gain. We explore spectral singularities of a complex spherical barrier potential and study their realization as transverse spherical electromagnetic waves emitted by a gain medium with a spherical geometry. In particular, for a typical dye laser material, we obtain a lower bound on the size of the gain medium for the occurrence of this kind of spectral singularities.     

Laser threshold of Mie resonances

We show that time-independent scattering coefficients calculated from the standard extrapolation of Mie theory to the gain regime have physical meaning up to the laser threshold. The theoretical width of a resonance decreases linearly with increasing gain and becomes zero at the laser threshold. We performed experiments on dielectric microspheres with gain, trapped with optical tweezers. The width of the mode was measured to narrow as a function of the gain up to the lasing threshold, confirming both the validity of the extrapolation of Mie theory to the gain regime below threshold and our interpretation of its point of divergence as the laser threshold.     

Analysis of an encapsulated whispering gallery mode micro-optical sensor

Whispering gallery mode (WGM) based micro-optical sensors are known to have higher sensitivity than fiber Bragg grating, Fabry–Perot, and microbend sensors. WGM sensors are created by optical coupling of a dielectric microparticle with an optical fiber. The combination of a microparticle and an optical-fiber to create the sensor requires encapsulating them in a suitable material so that the sensor can be used in practical applications. The sensitivity of the encapsulated sensors needs to be calibrated before they can be used. The present study conducts a parametric study to understand the effect of variables such as particle size and particle–fiber distance on the sensitivity of the encapsulated WGM sensors. Solid and hollow microparticle based sensors are studied. In the case of hollow particles, their wall thickness effects are also characterized. Results show that despite small strain, change in the index of refraction of the particle material due to the applied force contributes significantly in determining the sensitivity of these sensors.     

Kinetic barriers in RNA unzipping

We consider a simple model for the unfolding of RNA tertiary structure under dynamic loading. The opening of such a structure is regarded as a two step process, each corresponding to the overcoming of a single energy barrier. The resulting two-barrier energy landscape accounts for the dependence of the unfolding kinetics on the pulling rate. Furthermore at intermediate force, the two barriers cannot be distinguished by the analysis of the opening kinetic, which turns out to be dominated by a single macro-barrier, whose properties depend non-trivially on the two single barriers. Our results suggest that in pulling experiments on RNA molecule containing tertiary structures, the details of the single kinetic barriers can only be obtained using a low pulling rate value, or in the high force regime.Received: 19 January 2004, Published online: 12 July 2004PACS: 87.14.Gg DNA, RNA - 82.37.-j Single molecule kineticsL. Peliti: Associato INFN, Sezione di Napoli     

Active region design of a terahertz GaN/ Al0.15Ga0.85N quantum cascade laser

We propose the idea of developing THz quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) with GaN-based quantum well (QW) structures with significant advantages over the currently demonstrated THz lasers in the GaAs-based material system. While the ultrafast longitudinal optical (LO) phonon scattering in AlGaN/GaN QWs can be used for the rapid depopulation of the lower laser state, the large LO-phonon energy (∼90 meV) can effectively reduce the thermal population of the lasing states at higher temperatures. Our analysis of one particular structure has shown that a relatively low threshold current density of 832 A/cm² can provide a threshold optical gain of 50/cm at room temperature. We have also found that the characteristic temperature in this structure is as high as 136 K.     

AlInGaAs/AlGaAs垂直腔面发射激光器温度特性的对比研究

通过测量、对比材料生长和器件制备条件基本相似，但是谐振腔腔模波长与增益峰值波长相对位置明显不同的两类氧化物限制型应变AlInGaAs/AlGaAs量子阱垂直腔面发射激光器(VCSEL)在261—369K温度范围内输出光功率-电流的变温曲线，同时结合测试得到的两类样品的白光反射谱、光荧光谱以及模拟计算得到的不同温度下VCSEL反射谱和增益谱，分析了输出光功率、阈值电流、斜率效率和激射波长随温度变化的关系，掌握了新材料AlInGaAs的温度特性，得到了谐振腔腔模波长和增益峰值波长的相对位置对VCSEL输出特性，尤其是对阈值的影响规律，指出获得室温工作阈值最低且稳定的VCSEL的一个方法是调整谐振腔腔模波长和增益峰值波长的相对位置，并利用这种方法获得了特征温度T₀=333K的AlInGaAs/AlGaAs量子阱VCSEL器件. 关键词： AlInGaAs 垂直腔面发射激光器 特征温度     

Minimal spaser threshold within electrodynamic framework: Shape,size and modes

It is known (yet often ignored) from quantum mechanical or energetic considerations, that the threshold gain of the quasi‐static spaser depends only on the dielectric functions of the metal and the gain material. Here, we derive this result from the purely classical electromagnetic scattering framework. This is of great importance, because electrodynamic modelling is far simpler than quantum mechanical one. The influence of the material dispersion and spaser geometry are clearly separated; the latter influences the threshold gain only indirectly, defining the resonant wavelength. We show that the threshold gain has a minimum as a function of wavelength. A variation of nanoparticle shape, composition, or spasing mode may shift the plasmonic resonance to this optimal wavelength, but it cannot overcome the material‐imposed minimal gain. Furthermore, retardation is included straightforwardly into our framework; and the global spectral gain minimum persists beyond the quasi‐static limit. We illustrate this with two examples of widely used geometries: Silver spheroids and spherical shells embedded in and filled with gain materials.     

Lorentz force and the optical pulling of multiple rayleigh particles outside the dielectric cylindrical waveguides

The stimulating connection between the counter‐intuitive optical pulling effects and the Lorentz force has not been investigated in literature. This work demonstrates that multiple absorbing or non‐absorbing dielectric Rayleigh objects can be pulled locally with gradientless travelling waves outside a finite‐sized cylindrical nano or micro waveguide, if it is made up of a hollow core along with the cladding of at least two different dielectrics of appropriate refractive indices. Lorentz force analysis reveals that the bound surface charges of Rayleigh scatterer experience backward force, which overcomes the positive bulk force and ultimately results in the net pulling of the scatterer for several spatial regions outside the waveguide. Finally, in order to control the pulling of multiple Rayleigh particles based on scattering force and binding force, we have proposed a possible cylindrical coupler set‐up. This work may open a new window of optical pulling force due to the exclusion of conventional structured tractor beams along with the artificial exotic matters.     

Tunable optical force on nonlinear graphene-wrapped nanoparticles

We investigate the optical force on the nonlinear graphene-wrapped nanoparticle by using the Maxwell's stress tensor together with the mean-field methods. We demonstrate the bistable optical force on the present nanoparticle which is due to the strong localized electric field in graphene at the plasmonic resonant wavelength. To further investigate the critical incident electric field for the up and down transistors, we find that the required switching-up threshold field is highly dependent on the permittivity of the nanoparticle, surrounding medium and Fermi energy instead of the relaxation time, with which one could achieve tunable nonlinear optical force on such graphene-wrapped nanoparticle to satisfy some practical purpose. Our results might supply an alternative way to manipulate nanoparticles and give the guideline for achieving the optical switching in nanoscale.     

单负材料异质结构中损耗诱导的场局域增强和光学双稳态

光学双稳态的阈值取决于非线性材料中的场局域程度, 场局域越强阈值越低. 而材料的损耗是影响场局域强弱的重要因素. 之前, 人们普遍认为, 增加损耗会削弱场局域, 不利于降低阈值. 本文研究了由磁单负材料和电单负材料组成的异质结构中光学双稳态现象, 发现随着损耗的增大, 其阈值可以呈现先降后升的非单调变化. 进一步研究表明, 异质结构界面处的电磁场强度随着损耗增大呈现先降后升的非单调变化, 即增加损耗也有可能增强场局域. 研究结果揭示了场局域程度与材料损耗之间的非单调依赖关系, 为设计开发非线性功能器件提供了新的思路.     

Growth of attached actin filaments

In several studies of actin-based cellular motility, the barbed ends of actin filaments have been observed to be attached to moving obstacles. Filament growth in the presence of such filament-obstacle interactions is studied via Brownian dynamics simulations of a three-dimensional energy-based model. We find that with a binding energy greater than 24k _B T and a highly directional force field, a single actin filament is able to push a small obstacle for over a second at a speed of half of the free filament elongation rate. These results are consistent with experimental observations of plastic beads in cell extracts. Calculations of an external force acting on a single-filament-pushed obstacle show that for typical in vitro free-actin concentrations, a 3pN pulling force maximizes the obstacle speed, while a 4pN pushing force almost stops the obstacle. Extension of the model to treat beads propelled by many filaments suggests that most of the propulsive force could be generated by attached filaments.     

Self-consistent nonlinear resonance and hysteresis of a charged microparticle in a RF sheath

A self-consistent model is proposed to study nonlinear phenomena, such as secondary resonance and hysteresis in the vertical oscillations of a charged microparticle in a radio-frequency sheath. The motion of a single microparticle in the sheath is simulated by solving Newton's equation in which various forces acting on the particle are taken into account. The particle charging and the sheath electric field are described by a self-consistent model of the collisional radio-frequency sheath dynamics. It is found that the nonlinearity is related to the particle's charge, the sheath electric field, and the external excitation force, as well as the ion drag force and neutral-gas friction on the particle.     

用扫描隧道显微术进行单原子操纵的机理研究

本文简要综述利用扫描隧道显微镜（ＳＴＭ）进行单原子操纵的物理机制。主要介绍了场增强的扩散、在表面上拖动（ｐｕｌｉｎｇ）推动（ｐｕｓｈｉｎｇ）原子、原子在针尖表面间接触和近接触转移、场致蒸发／脱附、隧道电子非弹性射激发和电子迁移的“电子风力”等过程。同时介绍了一些理论处理方法和对一些实验结果的解释。     

Modeling of the rough spherical nanoparticles manipulation on a substrate based on the AFM nanorobot

In this paper, dynamic behavior of the rough spherical micro/nanoparticles during pulling/pushing on the flat substrate has been investigated and analyzed. For this purpose, at first, two hexagonal roughness models (George and Cooper) were studied and then evaluations for adhesion force were determined for rough particle manipulation on flat substrate. These two models were then changed by using of the Rabinovich theory. Evaluations were determined for contact adhesion force between rough particle and flat substrate; depth of penetration evaluations were determined by the Johnson–Kendall–Roberts contact mechanic theory and the Schwartz method and according to Cooper and George roughness models. Then, the novel contact theory was used to determine a dynamic model for rough micro/nanoparticle manipulation on flat substrate. Finally, simulation of particle dynamic behavior was implemented during pushing of rough spherical gold particles with radii of 50, 150, 400, 600, and 1,000 nm. Results derived from simulations of particles with several rates of roughness on flat substrate indicated that compared to results for flat particles, inherent roughness on particles might reduce the rate of critical force needed for sliding and rolling given particles. Given a fixed radius for roughness value and increased roughness height, evaluations for sliding and rolling critical forces showed greater reduction. Alternately, the rate of critical force was shown to reduce relative to an increased roughness radius. With respect to both models, based on the George roughness model, the predicted rate of adhesion force was greater than that determined in the Cooper roughness model, and as a result, the predicted rate of critical force based on the George roughness model was closer to the critical force value of flat particle.     

Conversion of optical radiation by a microsphere with nanoinclusions of metal sols

The conversion of optical radiation by dielectric microparticles with nanoinclusions of metal sols is theoretically studied. It is shown that, under resonance conditions, the concentration of nanoparticles inside a spherical microparticle affects the strength and structure of its internal field and influences the lasing conditions inside the microparticle. Two-mode lasing may occur depending on the concentration of nanoparticles due to overlap of the spatial structures of the fields of generated modes.     

Two-mode lasing on morphological resonances of different orders in a spherical microparticle

It is found that, below the first lasing threshold in a spherical microparticle, two steady-state two-mode lasing regimes can occur on morphological resonances of different orders. The bistability region depends on the degree of the spatial overlap of the electromagnetic fields of the resonances and on the absorption of the microparticle material.     

基于少模光纤的SBS光谱阈值特性分析

受激布里渊散射会影响少模光纤传输系统中的信噪比、传输距离与传输容量,是影响传输系统入纤功率提高的重要因素。对阶跃型少模光纤的受激布里渊散射谱的阈值进行了研究,运用了布里渊散射谱、模式联运谱的数学模型对少模光纤散射特性进行了分析,探讨了少模光纤布里渊散射增益谱、阈值增益系数,以及光纤各参量对少模光纤阈值的影响。分析结果表明：SI-10阶跃型少模光纤中存在五种不同的传播模式,不同模式有各自的传输常数以及有效折射率,各模式相互作用导致模式展宽、增益降低,且布里渊散射谱峰值增益系数为3.9×10-11 m·W-1。阈值增益系数受到光纤传感距离的影响,在相对较短距离传输中阈值急速下降,且其趋势随长度增加渐趋平缓,当光纤长度达到22 km时阈值增益系数趋于常数18.1。少模光纤的阈值因光纤长度的递增而递减,且递减趋势渐缓趋于常数20.5 dBm;少模光纤不同模式受激布里渊散射的阈值也因光纤长度的递增而递减最终趋于常数,且不同模式的阈值因模式阶数的递增而递增;少模光纤的阈值随着光纤衰减系数和纤芯半径的递增而递增,且增加趋势缓慢增大。不同衰减系数的光纤其阈值在不同长度趋于常数,衰减系数越大受激布里渊散射阈值越大越容易趋于一常数。     

Observation of photon-assisted tunneling in optical lattices

We have observed tunneling suppression and photon-assisted tunneling of Bose-Einstein condensates in an optical lattice subjected to a constant force plus a sinusoidal shaking. For a sufficiently large constant force, the ground energy levels of the lattice are shifted out of resonance and tunneling is suppressed; when the shaking is switched on, the levels are coupled by low-frequency photons and tunneling resumes. Our results agree well with theoretical predictions and demonstrate the usefulness of optical lattices for studying solid-state phenomena.