Enantioselective optical gradient forces using 3D structured vortex light

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a novel 3D structured vortex light method that enables enantioselective optical trapping of chiral particles, including a polarization-independent chiral force absent in traditional 2D or plane wave systems.

Contribution

It introduces a new enantioselective optical force mechanism in 3D vortex tweezers, including a polarization-independent force not seen in prior 2D or plane wave setups.

Findings

Enantioselective trapping of chiral particles in 3D vortex light.

Discovery of a polarization-independent chiral force.

Chiral sorting into distinct transverse rings.

Abstract

Here we highlight enantioselective optical gradient forces present in 3D structured optical vortex tweezing systems. One chiral force originates from the circular polarization of the light, while remarkably the other is independent of the input polarization, even occurring for unpolarized light, and is not present in 2D structured light nor propagating plane waves. This latter chiral sorting mechanism allows for the enantioselective trapping of chiral particles into distinct rings in the transverse plane through conservative radial forces.