Direct and Clean Loading of Nanoparticles into Optical Traps at Millibar Pressures

Nanoparticles levitated by optical fields under vacuum conditions have applications in quantum science, the study of nanothermodynamics and precision sensing. The existing techniques for loading optical traps require ambient conditions and often involve dispersion in liquids, which can contaminate delicate optics and lead to enhanced optical absorption and heating. Here, we present a clean, dry and generic mechanism for directly loading optical traps at pressures down to 1 mbar, exploiting Laser Induced Acoustic Desorption and allowing for the rapid and efficient trapping of nanoparticles.

Automated summary

This study presents a method for directly loading optical traps using Laser Induced Acoustic Desorption under pressures as low as 1 mbar, enabling rapid and efficient trapping of nanoparticles in vacuum conditions.