Resonant binding of dielectric particles to a metal surface without plasmonics

A high index dielectric spherical particle supports the high-Q resonant Mie modes that result in a regular series of sharp resonances in the radiation pressure. The presence of a perfectly conducting metal surface transforms the Mie modes into extremely high-Q magnetic bonding or electric antibonding modes for the close approach of a sphere to a surface. We show that an electromagnetic plane wave with normal incidence results in repulsive or attractive resonant optical forces relative to a metal for the excitation of electric bonding or magnetic antibonding resonant modes, respectively. A magnitude of resonant optical forces reaches the order of 1 nN of magnitude for micron-sized silicon particles and a power of light 1mW/μm2 that exceeds the gravitational force by four orders. However, what is the most remarkable is there are steady positions for a sphere between the pulling and pushing forces that give rise to the resonant binding of the sphere to a metal surface.

https://journals.aps.org/pra/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevA.103.L051501