Optical forces: Fundamentals and Applications

This lecture covers the fundamentals of optical forces, exploring the coupling between optical and mechanical degrees of freedom. Topics include radiation pressure, optical tweezers, forces in deformable cavities, and the interaction between light and motion in complex geometries. The instructor discusses classical electrodynamics, effective forces in deformable cavities, and perturbative approaches to calculate optical forces. Additionally, the lecture delves into the vacuum optomechanical coupling rate and examples of optomechanical systems. The optical forces are shown to play a crucial role in various settings, especially in resonant cavities confined to micro- and nanoscale structures.