Using a slightly tapered optical fiber to attract and transport microparticles.
We exploit a fiber puller to transform a telecom single-mode optical fiber with a 125 microm diameter into a symmetric and unbroken slightly tapered optical fiber with a 50 microm diameter at the minimum waist. When the laser light is launched into the optical fiber, we can observe that, due to the evanescent wave of the slightly tapered fiber, the nearby polystyrene microparticles with 10 microm diameters will be attracted onto the fiber surface and roll separately in the direction of light propagation. We have also simulated and compared the optical propulsion effects on the microparticles when the laser light is launched into a slightly tapered fiber and a heavily tapered (subwavelength) fiber, respectively.
Sheu
Fang-Wen
FW
Department of Applied Physics, National Chiayi University, Chiayi 60004, Taiwan. fwsheu@mail.ncyu.edu.tw
Wu
Hong-Yu
HY
Chen
Sy-Hann
SH
D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008846:Micromanipulation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008863:Microspheres; D052898:Optical Tweezers