What is wrong with the interpretation of recent nano-filament experiments?

Masud Mansuripur; Armis R. Zakharian

doi:10.1117/12.825496

20 August 2009 What is wrong with the interpretation of recent nano-filament experiments?

Proceedings Volume 7400, Optical Trapping and Optical Micromanipulation VI; 740012 (2009) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.825496
Event: SPIE NanoScience + Engineering, 2009, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

In a recent paper, W. She, J. Yu and R. Feng reported the slight deformations observed upon transmission of a light pulse through a short length of a silica glass nano-filament. Relating the shape and magnitude of these deformations to the momentum of the light pulse inside and outside the filament, these authors concluded that, within the fiber, the photons carry the Abraham momentum. We present an alternative evaluation of force and momentum in a system similar to the experimental setup of She et al. Using precise numerical calculations that take into account not only the electromagnetic momentum inside and outside the filament, but also the Lorentz force exerted by a light pulse in its entire path through the nano-waveguide, we conclude that the net effect should be a pull (rather than a push) force on the end face of the nano-filament.

Citation Download Citation

Masud Mansuripur and Armis R. Zakharian "What is wrong with the interpretation of recent nano-filament experiments?", Proc. SPIE 7400, Optical Trapping and Optical Micromanipulation VI, 740012 (20 August 2009); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.825496

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