Use of plasmonic and photonic structures to enhance optical trapping

This research project focuses on the design and fabrication of plasmonic and photonic devices to enhance the performance of conventional optical trapping systems or to add specific functionalities to them. This will allow high-resolution optical trapping with lower input light. This can reduce photo damage to the trapped particle and allow more control over its position and orientation.

As a part of this work I model various plasmonic and photonic nanostructures using the Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD), fabricate the designed structures using the electron beam lithography technique and then experimentally test their performance in the laboratory.