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Non-Hermitian physics for optical manipulation uncovers inherent instability of large clusters

Author

Listed:
  • Xiao Li

    (Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen
    The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology)

  • Yineng Liu

    (Xiamen University)

  • Zhifang Lin

    (Fudan University
    Nanjing University)

  • Jack Ng

    (Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen)

  • C. T. Chan

    (The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology)

Abstract

Intense light traps and binds small particles, offering unique control to the microscopic world. With incoming illumination and radiative losses, optical forces are inherently nonconservative, thus non-Hermitian. Contrary to conventional systems, the operator governing time evolution is real and asymmetric (i.e., non-Hermitian), which inevitably yield complex eigenvalues when driven beyond the exceptional points, where light pumps in energy that eventually “melts” the light-bound structures. Surprisingly, unstable complex eigenvalues are prevalent for clusters with ~10 or more particles, and in the many-particle limit, their presence is inevitable. As such, optical forces alone fail to bind a large cluster. Our conclusion does not contradict with the observation of large optically-bound cluster in a fluid, where the ambient damping can take away the excess energy and restore the stability. The non-Hermitian theory overturns the understanding of optical trapping and binding, and unveils the critical role played by non-Hermiticity and exceptional points, paving the way for large-scale manipulation.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiao Li & Yineng Liu & Zhifang Lin & Jack Ng & C. T. Chan, 2021. "Non-Hermitian physics for optical manipulation uncovers inherent instability of large clusters," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-9, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-26732-8
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26732-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Xiao Li & Yongyin Cao & Jack Ng, 2024. "Non-Hermitian non-equipartition theory for trapped particles," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.

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