Eur. Phys. J. D 46, 157-164 (2008)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2007-00308-1

Radiation induced force between two planar waveguides

¹ LENS, via N. Carrara 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze, Italy
² CNR-INFM Center on Bose-Einstein Condensation and Dipartimento di Fisica, Universitá di Trento, via Sommarive 14, 38050 Povo Trento, Italy

Corresponding author: ^a recati@science.unitn.it

Received: 12 June 2007
Published online: 23 November 2007

Abstract

We study the electromagnetic force exerted on a pair of parallel slab waveguides by the light propagating through them. We have calculated the dependence of the force on the slab separation by means of the Maxwell–Stress tensor formalism and we have discussed its main features for the different propagation modes: spatially symmetric (antisymmetric) modes give rise to an attractive (repulsive) interaction. We have derived the asymptotic behaviors of the force at small and large separation and we have quantitatively estimated the mechanical deflection induced on a realistic air-bridge structure.