Non-spherical particles in optical tweezers: A numerical solution

Abstract

We present numerical methods for modeling the dynamics of arbitrarily shaped particles trapped within optical tweezers, which improve the predictive power of numerical simulations for practical use. We study the dependence of trapping on the shape and size of particles in a single continuous wave beam setup. We also consider the implications of different particle compositions, beam types and media. The major result of the study is that for different irregular particle shapes, a range of beam powers generally leads to trapping. The trapping power range depends on whether the particle can be characterized as elongated or flattened, and the range is also limited by Brownian forces.