Magneto-optical Stern-Gerlach Forces and Nonreciprocal Torques on Small Particles

Magneto-optical Stern-Gerlach Forces and Nonreciprocal Torques on Small Particles

Article: published in Physical Review Research by Manuel I. Marques, IFIMAC researcher and member of the Material Physics Department.

Light coupling with magneto-optical particles under a magneto-static field leads to optical forces and torques with unexpected   intriguing properties. In particular, this coupling causes the emergence of new  physical phenomena like the existence of non-reciprocal permanent torques induced by (spin-less) linearly polarized light or  the transformation of the spin of light into a virtual magnetic moment, allowing for the design of a Stern-Gerlach-like experiment for photons. [Full article]