Mie resonances in optical trapping: their role in kinematics and back-action
Sharareh Sayyad, Gerd Leuchs, Vsevolod Salakhutdinov
Abstract The heating rate plays a crucial role in the decoherence of the harmonic motion of an optically levitated nanoparticle. The values of this rate vary depending on both the scattering photon rate and the kinetic energy acquired through individual photon recoils. While the combined roles of these factors have been extensively studied, the energy transfer per recoil has not been explicitly examined. This energy transfer is often approximated using a linear dipole model with coefficients {1/5, 2/5, 7/5} which applies in the Rayleigh limit. In this work, we analyze the evolution of energy transfer per photon recoil for low-absorption dielectric nanospheres with diameters ranging from 2 nm to 500 nm. Using a far-field approximation, we demonstrate that the Kerker condition, which enhances the alignment between incident and scattered wavevectors, may significantly reduce the energy transferred per recoil. Although this reduction is counterbalanced by the increasing scattering rate, for an individual scattering event, the reduction of recoil suggests an intrinsic suppression of back-action. Our results reveal a potential enhancement in the accuracy of estimations in tabletop experiments involving Mie particles of the considered sizes and provide guidance for the selection of optimal probe sizes and materials. Our interpretation of recoil reduction as a manifestation of back-action suppression indicates a potential pathway toward minimizing measurement-induced disturbances through engineered control of scattering directivity, potentially enabled by metamaterial-based designs.
arXiv:2503.18153•Journal of Optics•May 20, 2026•0 citations