Continuously rotating chiral liquid crystal droplets in a linearly polarized laser trap.
The transfer of optical angular momentum to birefringent particles via circularly polarized light is common. We report here on the unexpected, continuous rotation of chiral nematic liquid crystal droplets in a linearly polarized optical trap. The rotation is non-uniform, occurs over a timescale of seconds, and is observed only for very specific droplet sizes. Synchronized vertical motion of the droplet occurs during the rotation. The motion is the result of photo-induced molecular reorganization, providing a micron sized opto-mechanical transducer that twists and translates.
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK.
Y
Y
Yang
P D
PD
Brimicombe
N W
NW
Roberts
M R
MR
Dickinson
M
M
Osipov
H F
HF
Gleeson
D003460:Crystallization; D004563:Electrochemistry / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D007834:Lasers; D008027:Light; D050866:Liquid Crystals; D008846:Micromanipulation / Q000379:methods; D009038:Motion; D052898:Optical Tweezers; D055095:Optics and Photonics; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013997:Time Factors