Optical switching based on the manipulation of microparticles in a colloidal liquid using strong scattering force

• Published in: Chinese physics B 2010-12, Vol.19 (12), p.292-300
• Main Author: 刘进 刘正奇 冯天华 戴峭峰 吴立军 兰胜
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 交换动力学; 光交换; 光开关; 散射力; 聚苯乙烯球
• ISSN: 1674-1056; 2058-3834
• DOI: 10.1088/1674-1056/19/12/124209

This paper demonstrates the realization of an optical switch by optically manipulating a large number of polystyrene spheres contained in a capillary. The strong scattering force exerted on polystyrene spheres with a large diameter of 4.3 μm is employed to realize the switching operation. A transparent window is opened for the signal light when the polystyrene spheres originally located at the beam centre are driven out of the beam region by the strong scattering force induced by the control light. The switching dynamics under different incident powers is investigated and compared with that observed in the optical switch based on the formation of optical matter. It is found that a large extinction ratio of - 30 dB and fast switching-on and switching-off times can be achieved in this type of switch.