LAUSR

The ability to optically trap nanoscale particles in a reliable and noninvasive manner is emerging as an important capability for nanoscience. Different techniques have been introduced, including plasmonic nanostructures. Nano-optical tweezers based on plasmonics face the problem of Joule heating, however, due to high losses in metals. Here we experimentally demonstrate the optical trapping and transport of nanoparticles using a nonplasmonic approach, namely, a silicon nanoantenna. We trap polystyrene nanoparticles with diameters of 20 and 100 nm and use fluorescence microscopy to track their positions as a function of time. We show that multiple nanoparticles can be trapped simultaneously with a single nanoantenna. We show that the infrared trapping laser beam also produces fluorescent emission from trapped nanoparticles via two-photon excitation. We present simulations of the nanoantenna that predict enhanced optical forces with insignificant heat generation. Our work demonstrates that silicon nanoanten...