This movie shows the energy density as a color scale and the optical force experienced by the cloak with a black arrow versus time. The length of the arrow is proportional to the magnitude of the optical force.

As shown by the movie the field close to the surface of the sphere the telltale of a creeping wave can be observed (successive bursts in the amplitude of the field at the left and right side of the sphere after the sequence of the incident wave). This particular wave propagates along the surface of the sphere and the interval between successive bursts corresponds to the time it takes the wave to travel around the sphere.

The movie shows the force experienced by sphere B (arrow in green) versus the distance between the two spheres, the sphere A remains fixed. We have plotted with red arrows the equilibrium positions spaced out by one wavelength.

The procedure to trap a small object with a tungsten tip is therefore the following : TE illumination is used while the tip scans the surface in tapping mode or in constant-height mode if the area under investigation is small enough. Such modes avoid the displacement of the particle by the tip. Once an object has been selected, the probe is placed above the object and the polarization of the illumination is rotated to TM. The probe is then brought down over the particle and captures it. (...)