Graphene-tuned threshold gain to achieve optical pulling force on microparticle*

Abstract

We investigate optical force on a graphene-coated gain microparticle by adopting the Maxwell’s stress tensor method. It is found that there exists a threshold gain in obtaining the Fano-profile optical force which indicates the reversal of optical pushing and pulling force. And giant pushing/pulling force can be achieved if the gain value of the material is in the proximity of the threshold gain. Our results show that the threshold gain is more sensitive to the relaxation time than to the Fermi energy of the graphene. We further study the optical force on larger microparticle to demonstrate the pulling force occurring at octupole resonance with small gain value and then it will appear at quadrupole resonance by increasing gain value. Our work provides an in-depth insight into the interaction between light and gain material and gives the additional degree of freedom to optical manipulation of microparticle.