Transverse optical accelerator and generalized optical vortices
US7232989B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 18, 2006 |
| Grant date | Jun 19, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 18, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03H2225/32
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and system for generating modulated optical vortices. Optical vortices can be used for a variety of applications, such as applying controlled torque or controlled force patterns to objects from a few nanometers to hundreds of micrometers in size. Numerous optical modes of optical vortices can be created to meet virtually any desired need in manipulating of objects. Furthermore, one can modify the wavefront of a beam of light in a specific way to create a new type of optical trap useful for manipulating mesoscopic materials. When the modified beam is brought to a focus, the resulting optical trap exerts forces transverse to the optical axis that can be used to transport mesoscopic matter such as nanoclusters, colloidal particles, and biological cells.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.