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Monday, June 18, 2012

Optical Trapping Forces on Non-Spherical Particles in Fluid Flows

Dewan Hasan Ahmed & Hyung Jin Sung

The optical stability of particles above a waveguide surface depends on the forces induced by fluid drag and the electromagnetic field. The optical trapping forces on non-spherical particles were examined for various flow conditions. A three-dimensional finite element method was employed to calculate the electromagnetic field and the fluid flow. It was found that the stability of non-spherical particles is significantly affected by the fluid velocity and the orientation of the particles. The downward trapping force meant that non-spherical particles are more stable at higher Reynolds numbers. The length of the particle in the transverse direction also had a significant impact on particle stability. The present model was tested against previously reported results.

DOI

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