Abstract
We show that a set of high order Hermite-Gaussian light beams when internally reflected at a dielectric/vacuum interface can generate well-defined evanescent light modes in each of which the intensity distribution is confined to a sub-wavelength region near the interface outside the dielectric. We suggest that this could greatly facilitate lateral optical manipulation of nano-particles and neutral atoms along the interface. Equally significantly, the scenario could lead to the formation of two-dimensional optical potential arrays and surface optical lattices that could form a suitable architecture for the implementation of quantum computing using neutral atoms. Published by Elsevier B.V.