On the Mechanical Interaction of Light With Homogeneous Liquids

TL;DR

This paper compares three models of how light interacts mechanically with homogeneous liquids, revealing that the Lorentz force model predicts a non-zero force that could induce fluid flows affecting optical trapping.

Contribution

It provides a numerical analysis distinguishing the Lorentz force model from Abraham and Minkowski models in predicting force densities in liquids.

Findings

Lorentz force predicts non-zero force density inside homogeneous liquids.

Distinct flow patterns can be driven by the Lorentz force in optical trapping.

Potential influence on particle dynamics in water-based optical traps.

Abstract

We investigate one of the consequences of the three competing models describing the mechanical interaction of light with a dielectric medium. According to both the Abraham and Minkowski models the time-averaged force density is zero inside a homogeneous dielectric, whereas the induced-current Lorentz force model predicts a non-zero force density. We argue that the latter force, if exists, could drive a hydrodynamic flow inside a homogeneous fluid. Our numerical experiments show that such flows have distinct spatial patterns and may influence the dynamics of particles in a water-based single-beam optical trap.