Molecular manipulation utilizing radiation pressure

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K13676
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Functional solid state chemistry
• Research Institution: Yamaguchi University
• Principal Investigator: Kawamata Jun 山口大学, 創成科学研究科, 教授 (40214689)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 放射圧 / ナノシート

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A photon carries not only energy but also momentum. When photons collide to an object, momenta of photons change by scattering. At the same time, a force called radiation pressure is applied to the object. By taking advantage of the radiation pressure of a tightly focused laser beam, an object can be trapped selectively at the focal point. In this study, we attempted to apply radiation pressure of a tightly focused laser beam to molecular manipulation.
An exfoliated nanosheet, an inorganic macromolecule, was found to align along the polarization direction of incident laser beam. The radiation pressure induced orientation was obtained even by irradiating a smaller incident power when the nanosheet adsorbed an organic molecule with a large polarizability, refractive index or molar absorption coefficient.

Free Research Field

機能物性化学