Nanoscopic Observation of Chiro-Optical Force

Abstract

Nanoscopic observation of chiro-optical phenomena is essential in wide scientific areas but has measurement difficulties; hence, its physics is still unknown. To obtain a full understanding of the physics of chiro-optical systems and derive the full potentials, it is essential to perform an in situ observation of the chiro-optical effect from the individual parts because the macroscopic chiro-optical effect cannot be translated directly into microscopic effects. In the present study, we observed the chiro-optical responses at the nanoscale level by detecting the chiro-optical forces, which were generated by illumination of the material–probe system with circularly polarized light. The induced optical force was dependent on the handedness and wavelength of the incident circularly polarized light and was well correlated to the electromagnetically simulated differential intensity of the longitudinal electric field. Our results facilitate the clarification of chiro-optical phenomena at the nanoscale level and could innovate chiro-optical nanotechnologies.