A pedagogical integration of electromagnetic and energy conversion concepts: The synchronous nanomotor and the synchronous reluctance motor

We present an example of integration for subjects of classical electromagnetism and energy conversion included in an undergraduate program in electric engineering. It is shown how to induce by means of light the rotation of a microscopic or nanoscopic particle, making an analogy with the synchronous reluctance motor. The variables for controlling the resulting velocity are identified and in both cases the conditions for obtaining a continuous rotation are studied. We synthesize that the common principle in both cases is the transfer of angular momentum from a rotating electromagnetic field to an electrically or magnetically polarizable system.