Optical nanotrapping using cloaking metamaterial

We study the electromagnetic behavior of spherical semishell structures that have cloaking material properties proposed by Pendry, Schurig, and Smith [Science 312, 1780 (2006)]. We use three-dimensional full-wave time-harmonic field analysis to evaluate the field and dipolar force distribution produced by these structures in free-space under plane wave illumination. We show that the optical force in proximity to these structures is suitable for active and size-selective manipulation and trapping of neutral nanoscale particles.