Force sensing with a shaped dielectric micro-tool

D. B. Phillips, S. H. Simpson, J. A. Grieve, R. Bowman, G. M. Gibson, M. J. Padgett, J. G. Rarity, S. Hanna, M. J. Miles and D. M. Carberry

We analyse the thermal motion of a holographically trapped non-spherical force probe, capable of interrogating arbitrary samples with nanometer resolution. High speed video stereo-microscopy is used to track the translational and rotational coordinates of the micro-tool in three dimensions, and the complete 6 × 6 stiffness matrix for the system is determined using equipartition theorem. The Brownian motion of the extended structure is described in terms of a continuous distribution ofthermal ellipsoids. A centre of optical stress, at which rotational and translational motion is uncoupled, is observed and controlled. Once calibrated, the micro-tool is deployed in two modes of operation: as a force sensor with <150 femto-Newton sensitivity, and in a novel form of photonic force microscopy.

DOI