Controlling and enhancing optical gradient forces in integrated optomechanical devices

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Objective: The objective of this program is to control optical gradient forces in lightwave circuits through waveguide dispersion, to enhance optical gradient forces by using plasmonic effects, and to create novel resonant optomechanical devices. Optical gradient forces can be generated between integrated optical components by light and be used to control both optical and mechanical behavior of these components. The resulting integrated optomechanical devices provide a fascinating system to study the coupling between optics and mechanics.Intellectual merit: The intellectual merit is to investigate new methods, such as waveguide dispersion and plasmonic effects, to manipulate and enhance optical gradient forces and explore novel applications. Non-resonant optomechanical systems consisting of coupled waveguides with very different dispersion properties will be used to control optical gradient forces through wavelength and polarization. Hybrid plasmonic waveguides are proposed to enhance optical forces through stronger evanescent fields and larger field gradients. Broader impacts: The broader impacts are to create novel devices for information processing and fundamental physics. The outcome of the proposed research will have significant impacts across many disciplines, such as light-controlled biomechanical manipulation and detection, photonic information processing, and strong light-matter interactions. The proposed education program will augment students? classroom instruction through an education plan that will integrate research activities and an outreach plan that will disseminate this research to local K-12 students. The education and outreach activities include establishing an interdisciplinary research program, developing undergraduate research experiences, and promoting participation of under-represented students.