Full rotational control of levitated silicon nanorods

Abstract

We study a nanofabricated silicon rod levitated in an optical trap. By\nmanipulating the polarization of the light we gain full control over the\nro-translational dynamics of the rod. We are able to trap both its\ncentre-of-mass and align it along the linear polarization of the laser field.\nThe rod can be set into rotation at a tuned frequency by exploiting the\nradiation pressure exerted by elliptically polarized light. The rotational\nmotion of the rod dynamically modifies the optical potential, which allows\ntuning of the rotational frequency over hundreds of Kilohertz. This ability to\ntrap and control the motion and alignment of nanoparticles opens up the field\nof rotational optomechanics, rotational ground state cooling and the study of\nrotational thermodynamics in the underdamped regime.\n