Exploiting lattice potentials for sorting chiral particles

TL;DR

This paper explores how periodic potentials and external forces can be used to sort chiral particles by inducing their movement in different directions, enabling efficient separation based on chirality.

Contribution

It introduces novel methods utilizing static and time-periodic forces in lattice potentials to achieve chiral particle sorting, advancing current separation techniques.

Findings

Chiral partners can be moved along orthogonal directions using static bias forces.

Time-periodic forces can cause chiral particles to move in opposite directions.

Periodic potentials enable effective separation of chiral molecules.

Abstract

Several ways are demonstrated of how periodic potentials can be exploited for sorting molecules or other small objects which only differ by their chirality. With the help of a static bias force, the two chiral partners can be made to move along orthogonal directions. Time-periodic external forces even lead to motion into exactly opposite directions.