Radiation forces on dielectric and absorbing particles studied via the finite-difference time-domain method

Using the three dimensional finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method, we calculate the radiation force from an incident plane wave on both dielectric and absorbing particles in the Lorentz-Mie regime via the Max-well stress tensor approach. We find that the radiation force changes with particle permittivity, and we categorize the force into three regions: increasing, fluctuating, and constant. We discuss how particle size, shape, orientation and absorption affect the radiation force. A nanoscale solar sail is proposed based on our calculation. A detailed understanding of the optical force of a plane wave on particles in the Lorentz-Mie regime is fundamental for designing nanoscale solar sail systems and optical traps from a set of interfering plane waves. (C) 2009 Optical Society of America