Optical properties of coupled silicon nanowires and unusual mechanical inductions

TL;DR

This paper investigates the optical properties and mechanical effects in coupled silicon nanowires, revealing strong forces and torques under various polarizations, with implications for nanorotor and nanodetector design.

Contribution

It extends the study of optical forces from metallic to silicon nanowires, highlighting volume resonances and unusual mechanical effects caused by asymmetrical near-fields.

Findings

Strong forces and torques are exerted by light on silicon dimers under both polarizations.

Volume resonances in high-dielectric systems induce forces differently than surface resonances in plasmonic systems.

Unusual mechanics include potential breaking of action-reaction and pulling forces.

Abstract

A recent study of the photonic coupling between metallic nanowires has revealed new degrees of freedom in the system. Unexpected spin torques were induced on dimers when illuminated with linearly polarized plane-waves. As near-field observables, the spectra of torques showed more resolved resonances than typical far-field spectra. Here the study is extended to silicon dimers. Strong forces and torques are exerted by light under both polarizations s and p, contrary to plasmonic systems where the resonant strong forces are found only for p-polarization. The systems made of high-dielectric possess volume resonances that induce the forces differently than in plasmonic systems, which have surface resonances. The asymmetry in strong near-fields is responsible for the unusual mechanics of the system. Some consequences of that may include the breaking of the action-reaction principle or the appearance of pulling forces. The numerical study is based on an exact method. The work is thought for the design of nanorotators and nanodetectors. It suggests a new viewpoint about optical forces: the resultant dynamics of topological variations of electromagnetic fields.