Optical tweezers are a highly versatile tool for exploration of the mesoscopic world, permitting non-contact manipulation of nanoscale objects. However, direct illumination with intense lasers restricts their use with live biological specimens, and limits the types of materials that can be trapped. Here we demonstrate an indirect optical trapping platform which circumvents these limitations by using hydrodynamic forces to exert nanoscale-precision control over aqueous particles, without directly illuminating them. Our concept is based on optically actuated micro-robotics: closed-loop control enables highly localised flow-fields to be sculpted by precisely piloting the motion of optically-trapped micro-rotors. We demonstrate 2D trapping of absorbing particles which cannot be directly optically trapped, stabilise the position and orientation of yeast cells, and demonstrate independent control over multiple objects simultaneously. Our work expands the capabilities of optical tweezers platforms, and represents a new paradigm for manipulation of aqueous mesoscopic systems.

Ferromagnetic materials have been utilized as recording media in data storage devices for many decades. The confinement of a material to a two-dimensional plane is a significant bottleneck in achieving ultra-high recording densities, and this has led to the proposition of three-dimensional (3D) racetrack memories that utilize domain wall propagation along the nanowires. However, the fabrication of 3D magnetic nanostructures of complex geometries is highly challenging and is not easily achieved with standard lithography techniques. Here, we demonstrate a new approach to construct 3D magnetic nanostructures of complex geometries using a combination of two-photon lithography and electrochemical deposition. The magnetic properties are found to be intimately related to the 3D geometry of the structure, and magnetic imaging experiments provide evidence of domain wall pinning at the 3D nanostructured junction.

PACS 42.70.Qs -Photonic bandgap materials PACS 42.55.Sa -Microcavity and microdisk lasers PACS 42.50.Pq -Cavity quantum electrodynamics Abstract -Defect cavities in 3D photonic crystal can trap and store light in the smallest volumes allowable in dielectric materials, enhancing non-linearities and cavity QED effects. Here, we study inverse rod-connected diamond (RCD) crystals containing point defect cavities using planewave expansion and finite-difference time domain methods. By optimizing the dimensions of the crystal, wide photonic band gaps are obtained. Mid-bandgap resonances can then be engineered by introducing point defects in the crystal. We investigate a variety of single spherical defects at different locations in the unit cell focusing on high-refractive-index contrast (3.3:1) inverse RCD structures; quality factors (Q-factors) and mode volumes of the resonant cavity modes are calculated. By choosing a symmetric arrangement, consisting of a single sphere defect located at the center of a tetrahedral arrangement, mode volumes < 0.06 cubic wavelengths are obtained, a record for high index cavities.

Three-dimensional nanostructured magnetic materials have recently been the topic of intense interest since they provide access to a host of new physical phenomena. Examples include new spin textures that exhibit topological protection, magnetochiral effects and novel ultrafast magnetic phenomena such as the spin-Cherenkov effect. Two-photon lithography is a powerful methodology that is capable of realising 3D polymer nanostructures on the scale of 100 nm. Combining this with postprocessing and deposition methodologies allows 3D magnetic nanostructures of arbitrary geometry to be produced. In this article, the physics of two-photon lithography is first detailed, before reviewing the studies to date that have exploited this fabrication route. The article then moves on to consider how non-linear optical techniques and post-processing solutions can be used to realise structures with a feature size below 100 nm, before comparing two-photon lithography with other direct write methodologies and providing a discussion on future developments.

We report the optimisation of optical properties of single defects in three-dimensional (3D) face-centred-cubic (FCC) woodpile photonic crystal (PC) cavities by using plane-wave expansion (PWE) and finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) methods. By optimising the dimensions of a 3D woodpile PC, wide photonic band gaps (PBG) are created. Optical cavities with resonances in the bandgap arise when point defects are introduced in the crystal. Three types of single defects are investigated in high refractive index contrast (Gallium PhosphideAir) woodpile structures and Q-factors and mode volumes (V ef f ) of the resonant cavity modes are calculated. We show that, by introducing an air buffer around a single defect, smaller mode volumes can be obtained. We demonstrate high Q-factors up to 700000 and cavity volumes down to V ef f < 0.2(λ/n) 3 . The estimates of Q and V ef f are then used to quantify the enhancement of spontaneous emission and the possibility of achieving strong coupling with nitrogen-vacancy (NV) colour centres in diamond.