PHYSICS AND APPLICATIONS OF OPTICAL LORENTZ FORCE

Abstract

In this thesis, physics and applications of optical Lorentz force along with stress tensors and photon momenta have been investigated with special interest in tractor beam effect, plasmonic objects and chiral objects. We have identified the exact reasons of the failure of distinct time averaged optical force formulas in major radiation pressure experiments and proposed the possible solutions. Two consistency conditions of optical forces have been suggested, which lead to the equivalent formulations of several distinct time averaged optical forces applicable for objects embedded in generic backgrounds. The proposed hypothesis of ‘existence domain’ along with the aforementioned consistency conditions lead to sort out the most probable consistent theory of optical force and photon momentum applicable everywhere in space (i.e. Minkowski’s theory instead of Einstein-Laub or other formulations). Novel manipulation techniques of Lorentz force for tractor beam effect (i.e. waveguide tractor effect) and plasmonic dimers (i.e. reversal of binding force) have also been demonstrated.