Researchers investigated the polarization-dependence of the force exerted by circularly polarized light (CPL) by performing optical trapping of chiral nanoparticles. They found that left- and right-handed CPL exerted different strengths of the optical gradient force on the nanoparticles, and the D- and L-form particles are subject to different gradient force by CPL. The present results suggest that separation of materials according to their handedness of chirality can be realized by the optical force.
Click here for original story, Differentiating right- and left-handed particles using the force exerted by light
Source: Phys.org