  The evanescent field of an optical nanofiber presents a versatile interface
for the manipulation of micron-scale particles in dispersion. Here, we present
a detailed study of the optical binding interactions of a pair of 3.13 $\mu$m
SiO$_2$ particles in the nanofiber evanescent field. Preferred equilibrium
positions for the spheres as a function of nanofiber diameter and sphere size
are discussed. We demonstrated optical propulsion and self-arrangement of
chains of one to seven 3.13 $\mu$m SiO$_2$ particles; this effect is associated
with optical binding via simulated trends of multiple scattering effects.
Incorporating an optical nanofiber into an optical tweezers setup facilitated
the individual and collective introduction of selected particles to the
nanofiber evanescent field for experiments. Computational simulations provide
insight into the dynamics behind the observed behavior.
