Self-Assembly of Colloidal Particles with Optical Binding

The properties of a material can be dramatically altered by patterning it at the microscopic scale, resulting in a composite known as a metamaterial. In principle, such a material could be created through self-assembly, however, it is difficult in practice to control the interactions between constituent particles. One potential method for doing so is optical binding, which is a highly tunable inter-particle force mediated by an intense optical field. The optical binding force has been shown to drive self-assembly of colloidal particles; we attempt to expand upon the tunable aspect of this force. What types of structures can be formed with optical binding? How can these structures be manipulated? We will discuss initial experiments designed to answer these questions and create a flexible platform for studies in self-assembly.