Trajectory manipulation of nanoparticles using vector-beam opto-thermal tweezers

Opto-thermal tweezers represent a tool that utilizes the opto-thermal effect to achieve precise trapping and manipulation of microscopic particles. Existing opto-thermal tweezers predominantly rely on a single heat source, making it challenging to achieve large-scale flexible manipulation. Additionally, the requirement for auxiliary agents limits their applications in biological contexts. Leveraging the polarization-dependent light absorption property of gold nanoantennas and the thermophilic behavior of nanoparticles in water near zero temperature, this paper proposes a theoretical model for multi-heat-source opto-thermal tweezers without the need for any auxiliary agents. Optimally matched fractional-order vector vortex beams (FVVBs) were used to generate the maximum temperature gradient and thermophoretic force around the nanoantenna pair. By scanning the FVVB along the array of adjacently arranged hot-spot pairs with its optimal mode switched synchronously, capture and transfer manipulations of nanoparticles along designed two-dimensional curved trajectories can be achieved. The proposed opto-thermal tweezer model exhibits the advantages of high biocompatibility, flexible manipulation, high precision, and a large operational range, making it a promising tool for applications in fields such as biochemistry, colloidal science, and nanotechnology.