.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Optical Manipulation of Liquid Crystal Droplets Through Holographic Polarized Tweezers: Magnus Effect

J. Hernández, C. Provenzano, P. Pagliusi & G. Cipparrone

We investigate the manipulation and trapping features of polarization holographic tweezers with liquid-crystal (LC) droplets in water. The force related to light's polarization pattern translates isotropic particles, while for birefringent particles exert forces and torques in opposite directions depending on the position of the particle. Experiments with LC emulsions allow verify expected scenarios and observe unconventional trapping of spinning birefringent particles in circularly-polarized fringes. This unusual trapping featured by rotating-bipolar-droplets suggest the involvement of one hydrodynamic force or Magnus Effect at low Reynolds number. This result shows that Magnus force contributes to opto-hydrodynamic trapping and is demonstrated with an experiment.

DOI

No comments: