Discriminatory optical force for chiral molecules

Cameron, Robert and Barnett, Steve and Yao, Alison (2014) Discriminatory optical force for chiral molecules. New Journal of Physics, 16 (Januar). 013020. ISSN 1367-2630

[thumbnail of Cameron-etal-NJOP-2014-Discriminatory-optical-force-for-chiral]
Preview
 Text (Cameron-etal-NJOP-2014-Discriminatory-optical-force-for-chiral)
Cameron_etal_NJOP_2014_Discriminatory_optical_force_for_chiral.pdf
Final Published Version
License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 logo
Download (781kB)| Preview

    Abstract

    We suggest that the force F exerted upon a chiral molecule by light assumes the form F = a∇w + b∇h under appropriate circumstances, where a and b pertain to the molecule whilst w and h are the local densities of electric energy and helicity in the optical field; the gradients ∇ of these quantities thus governing the molecule’s centre-of-mass motion. Whereas a is identical for the mirror- image forms or enantiomers of the molecule, b has opposite signs; the associated contribution to F therefore pointing in opposite directions. A simple optical field is presented for which ∇w vanishes but ∇h does not, so that F is absolutely discriminatory. We then present two potential applications: a Stern–Gerlach-type deflector capable of spatially separating the enantiomers of a chiral molecule and a diffraction grating to which chiral molecules alone are sensitive; the resulting diffraction patterns thus encoding information about their chiral geometry.

    ORCID iDs

    Cameron, Robert ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8809-5459, Barnett, Steve and Yao, Alison ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6260-5852;
    • Item type:Article
      ID code:46505
      Dates:
      Date
      Event
      15 January 2014
      Published
      16 December 2013
      Accepted
      Keywords:chiral molecules, medical physics, optical trapping, Physics, Physics and Astronomy(all)
      Subjects:Science > Physics
      Department:Faculty of Science > Physics
      Depositing user: Pure Administrator
      Date deposited:20 Jan 2014 11:25
      Last modified:04 Jun 2021 02:49
      Related URLs:
      URI:https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/46505
    CORE (COnnecting REpositories)