Optical Gears - Harnessing Light's Angular Momentum Towards Nano Optic Omnidirectional Motion

The drive to create optically driven, moving mechanisms at nano/microscale has always been a key goal in photonics. This ambition has evolved into exploring light-driven components, catalysing new research paths in quantum technologies, including light-driven computer chips, and ushering in a new era of possibilities for lab-on-a-chip applications. The possibilities are impressive. However, the lack of coordination of optical forces to increase momentum is still a barrier to steering objects towards specific trajectories. Inspired by recent advances in nanoparticle assembly, this project aims to explore the mechanism to harness the spin angular momentum of light to rotate optically bonded nanoparticle arrays - optical wheels - providing synergy to build an omnidirectional motion for flexible control and drive of matter. Future applications of these solutions include nanofluidics, particle sorting, and enabling various selective click chemistry at the single-molecule level.