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Cited by 797Orbital Angular Momentum in OpticsQuantum and Classical ElectrodynamicsMetamaterials and Metasurfaces Applications

Extraordinary momentum and spin in evanescent waves

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Bliokh, Konstantin Y., Bekshaev, Aleksandr Y., Nori, Franco·2014·Nature Communications
DOI 10.1038/ncomms4300
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Abstract

Momentum and spin represent fundamental dynamic properties of quantum particles and fields. In particular, propagating optical waves (photons) carry momentum and longitudinal spin determined by the wave vector and circular polarization, respectively. Here we show that exactly the opposite can be the case for evanescent optical waves. A single evanescent wave possesses a spin component, which is independent of the polarization and is orthogonal to the wave vector. Furthermore, such a wave carries a momentum component, which is determined by the circular polarization and is also orthogonal to the wave vector. We show that these extraordinary properties reveal a fundamental Belinfante's spin momentum, known in field theory and unobservable in propagating fields. We demonstrate that the transverse momentum and spin push and twist a probe Mie particle in an evanescent field. This allows the observation of 'impossible' properties of light and of a fundamental field-theory quantity, which was previously considered as 'virtual'.

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  • In a gradient-index medium, the trajectory of light is described by equations of motion whose last term describes the transverse spin-dependent displacement (spin-Hall effect of light).

    “The last term in Eq. (1) describes the transverse spin-dependent displacement of the trajectory, i.e., the spin-Hall effect of light (Fig. 1a).”

    From Spin–orbit interactions of light (2015) · cites this paper as [67]

    The Results (p. 7) identify the spin Hall effect of light with a helicity-dependent transverse beam shift. The cited paper does not describe a gradient-index trajectory equation or establish that its last term represents that displacement. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. [42]42. M. Nieto-Vesperinas, P.C. Chaumet, and A. Rahmani, Near-field optical forces , Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. A 362 , 719 (2004).

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Authors
Bliokh, K. Y., Bekshaev, A. Y., & Nori, F.
Affiliations
  • RIKEN (JP)
  • Korea University (KR)
Corresponding author
  • Bliokh, Konstantin Y.
  • Nori, Franco
ORCID
Venue
Nature Communications
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2014-03-06
Volume
5
Issue
1
Pages
3300-3300
ISSN
2041-1723 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1038/ncomms4300
OpenAlex
W1991825920
Cited by
797
References
90
Citations by year
2026: 49 · 2025: 74 · 2024: 87 · 2023: 75 · 2022: 74 · 2021: 71 · 2020: 84 · 2019: 71 · 2018: 69 · 2017: 54 · 2016: 39 · 2015: 31 · 2014: 17 · 2013: 2
FWCI
23.29
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Nature Communications (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • arXiv (Cornell University) (submittedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • ANU Open Research (Australian National University) (submittedVersion)
  • arXiv (Cornell University)
Funders
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (22224007)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Orbital Angular Momentum in Optics
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Quantum and Classical Electrodynamics
  • Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials › Metamaterials and Metasurfaces Applications
Keywords
evanescent waves, optical momentum, transverse spin, transverse momentum, circular polarization, Mie particles, optical manipulation, virtual photons, field theory
MeSH terms
Algorithms, Computer Simulation, Electromagnetic Fields, Kinetics, Models, Theoretical, Photons

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