Optical Trapping and Moving of Microparticles by the Near Field of Bloch Surface Waves in Polymer Waveguides

Abstract

Trapping and movement of microparticles using the near field of waveguide modes enables the realization of stable and compact integrated optical platforms for manipulating, sorting, and studying single microobjects. In this work, the possibility of optical manipulation via Bloch surface waves propagating in polymer waveguides on the surface of a one-dimensional photonic crystal and localizing light at the waveguide surface is studied. Numerical simulation of optical forces acting on a spherical particle from the fundamental waveguide mode of the Bloch surface wave is performed. Using two-photon laser lithography, SU-8 polymer waveguides are fabricated on the surface of a one-dimensional photonic crystal. The movement of a polystyrene microparticle along the waveguide when the Bloch surface wave is excited in it is experimentally demonstrated.