title: Plasmonic nanoparticle chain in a light field: a resonant optical sail.
abstract: Optical trapping and driving of small objects has become a topic of increasing interest in multidisciplinary sciences. We propose to use a chain made of metallic nanoparticles as a resonant light sail, attached by one end point to a transparent object and propelling it by the use of electromagnetic radiation. Driving forces exerted on the chain are theoretically studied as a function of radiation's wavelength and chain's alignments with respect to the direction of radiation. Interestingly, there is a window in the frequency spectrum in which null-torque equilibrium configuration, with minimum geometric cross section, corresponds to a maximum in the driving force.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Albaladejo
authors.forename: Juan José
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Sáenz
authors.forename: Manuel I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Marqués
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D008027:Light; D008956:Models, Chemical; D009038:Motion; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D052898:Optical Tweezers; D020349:Surface Plasmon Resonance / Q000379:methods*