Optical Matter and Optical Matter Machines
A special issue of Micromachines (ISSN 2072-666X). This special issue belongs to the section "A：Physics".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2023) | Viewed by 1993
Special Issue Editors
Interests: nano-optics; plasmonics and photonics; optical manipulation
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Optical matter machines have recently been discovered showing the ability to self-organize into structures in focused optical beams (laser tweezers) that can do work on objects in their surroundings. The original OM machine reported in 2020 was based on plasmonic metal nanoparticles that can self-organize and do mechanical work on the nanoscale as powered by light. This intriguing phenomenon arises from light-matter and inter-particle interactions, by which free-diffusing nanoparticles are optically bound and self-organized into a two-dimensional lattice array and simultaneously manifest mechanical movements as a rigid body in response to the collective electromagnetic scattering modes. Beyond that, optical matter machines can be utilized to drive nearby weakly-coupled (nano-)particles electrodynamically with transverse scattering fields that carry orbital angular momentum. These unique functionalities reflect the great potential of optical matter machines as miniaturized light-energized motors, enhanced optical nano-manipulation, creating light-controlled transportation systems, studying light-mediated many-body effects, prototyping advanced metasurfaces, and facilitating particle sorting.
As implied above, the collective electromagnetic response, the source of optical matter machines' driven motions, fundamentally relies on the constituent particles' optical properties. While the underlying mechanism has been studied for plasmonic nanoparticles-based (e.g., Ag and Au) optical matters in terms of optical torque (positive or negative), it has yet to be generalized to account for OM systems composed of other types of particles, such as magnetodielectric and bi-isotropic nanoparticles. Additionally, the relevant applications are still sparse to date.
Therefore, this special issue welcomes both theoretical and experimental works on Optical Matter and OM Machines and their corresponding applications, aiming at establishing comprehensive electrodynamic models to interpret the dynamic characteristics associated with the physical parameters, including constituent materials’ properties (i.e., electric and magnetic as well as cross-coupling modes), lattice morphologies (i.e., spacing constant and particles’ numbers and arrangements), and light’s states (i.e., intensity, phase, and polarization).
Dr. Yanzeng Li
Prof. Dr. Norbert F. Scherer
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Micromachines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- optical matter
- optical trapping
- optical matter machines
- optical binding
- optical manipulation
- many-body effects
- light-matter interaction
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
