Configurable lateral optical forces from twisted mixed-dimensional MoO₃ homostructures

Abstract

In recent years, the concept of hyperbolic phonon polaritons (HPPs) has revolutionized the field of nanophotonic, enabling unprecedented control over light-matter interactions at the nanoscale. Here, we theoretically propose and study the lateral optical forces in twisted mixed-dimensional MoO3 homostructures. Assisted with the low-symmetry hyperbolic phonon polaritons, we realized a lateral optical force exerted on the Au nanoparticle near the surface of mixed-dimensional MoO3 homostructures with a linear polarized incident light. By controlling the polarization state, incident angle of light and the twisted angle of MoO3, the amplitude and direction of the lateral optical forces can be tailored in the mid-infrared range. Our findings provide a new platform for engineering lateral optical forces to manipulate diverse objects in a flexible and efficient manner.