2013/09/28 by Basudev Roy, Nirmalya Ghosh, Roy, Basudev +7
Physics and Astronomy · #FOS: Physical sciences #Optics (physics.optics) #physics.optics
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1309.7488
13 pages, 4 figures
arxiv created 2013/09/28 · arxiv updated 2013/10/01
The spin orbit interaction (SOI) of light has been in the focus in recent times because of fundamental consequences and potential applications in diverse systems ranging from inhomogeneous anisotropic media to engineered plasmonics and metamaterial strutures. Here we demonstrate perhaps one of the simplest means to realize SOI and the Spin Hall Shift (SHS) using a standard Gaussian TEM00 beam in an optical trap. Our system exploits the versatility and interference generated in a stratified medium to control and manipulate SOI and transfer the resulting angular momentum to optically trapped micro-particles. We show that even such a simple setup can lead to an order of magnitude enhancement in the SHS compared to the sub-wavelength shifts typically obtained. Importantly, this leads to controlled rotation of mesoscopic particles using a fundamental Gaussian beam lacking any intrinsic angular momentum.