Master presentation: Valeria Zuñiga Pérez

Exploring Dynamics of Micro-sized Liquid Particles in Double Potential Optical Trap

Abstract

Optical levitation, enabled by the radiation pressure of light, lifts and holds small particles in mid-air without physical contact by utilizing photons’ momentum, offering precise manipulation through control of light properties like intensity, focus, and polarization. This thesis addresses the experiment of a double potential optical trap in order to characterize the latter and the trapped particle, as well as the dynamics of the system. The trap is made up of two strongly focused lasers and by utilizing liquid particles instead of solid ones, the effects of particle shape irregularities and optical force imbalances have been mitigated, yielding more reliable data on particle movement and position. With the variables of the distance between the traps, relative power between both, and the size of the particles, we tried to observe the greatest number of jumps possible. In this thesis you will find the jumps made by the liquid particle, both defined and undefined, and the analysis of jumping rates. Concluding that in fact a micrometric liquid particle also jumps feeling the double potential, all in air.