The tailorable the anomalous polygonal azimuthal-gap beam with binarization threshold for inducing particle motion

Abstract

Beams with controllable shapes and multiple zero intensity breaks hold particular significance in optical trapping, optical encryption, and optical communication. In this work, an anomalous polygonal azimuthal-gap beam (APAB) exhibiting controllable discontinuous intensity distribution is proposed and studied both theoretically and experimentally. The APAB features multiple zero intensity breaks within its polygonal intensity pattern by setting multiple the binarization thresholds and modulating parameters of the free lens phases. Additionally, the specific number and arrangement of azimuthal gaps by combining multiple APABs make up a beam array characterized by the various configurations of azimuthal-gaps and customized intensity profiles. The particle manipulation characteristics of the designed APABs are verified by optical tweezer experiments. It is demonstrated that the APABs utilize azimuthal-gap location as a new dimension to stably trap, locate, rotate, disperse particles, and guide particles, while the polygonal intensity guides particles along specific paths. Due to its unique properties, APAB will have many promising applications such as multi-particle trapping in 3D orientation, optical communication, lensless imaging, and optical multiplexing technology.