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Researchers Reveal 100nm Displacement Via the Optical Magnus Effect with an Ion

Researchers at ETH Zurich and PSI have directly observed the optical Magnus effect in a single trapped ⁴⁰Ca⁺ ion. By scanning a tightly focused 729 nm laser across the ion, they mapped spin‑dependent transverse displacements of up to several hundred nanometres, matching theoretical predictions of longitudinal field components. The experiment achieved sub‑100 nm positioning precision using crossed acousto‑optic deflectors and recorded Rabi frequencies up to 2π × 16.7 kHz for Δm_j = +2 transitions. These findings reveal polarization‑gradient forces as a controllable tool for optical‑tweezer‑based quantum manipulation.