6 research outputs found
Roadmap for Optical Tweezers 2023
Optical tweezers are tools made of light that enable contactless pushing, trapping, and manipulation of objects ranging from atoms to space light sails. Since the pioneering work by Arthur Ashkin in the 1970s, optical tweezers have evolved into sophisticated instruments and have been employed in a broad range of applications in life sciences, physics, and engineering. These include accurate force and torque measurement at the femtonewton level, microrheology of complex fluids, single micro- and nanoparticle spectroscopy, single-cell analysis, and statistical-physics experiments. This roadmap provides insights into current investigations involving optical forces and optical tweezers from their theoretical foundations to designs and setups. It also offers perspectives for applications to a wide range of research fields, from biophysics to space exploration
Optically Driven Janus Micro Engine with Full Orbital Motion Control
Microengines have shown promise for a variety of applications in
nanotechnology, microfluidics, and nanomedicine, including targeted drug
delivery, microscale pumping, and environmental remediation. However, achieving
precise control over their dynamics remains a significant challenge. In this
study, we introduce a microengine that exploits both optical and thermal
effects to achieve a high degree of controllability. We find that in the
presence of a strongly focused light beam, a gold-silica Janus particle becomes
confined at the equilibrium point between optical and thermal forces. By using
circularly polarized light, we can transfer angular momentum to the particle
breaking the symmetry between the two forces and resulting in a tangential
force that drives directed orbital motion. We can simultaneously control the
velocity and direction of rotation of the particle changing the ellipticity of
the incoming light beam, while tuning the radius of the orbit with laser power.
Our experimental results are validated using a geometrical optics model that
considers the optical force, the absorption of optical power, and the resulting
heating of the particle. The demonstrated enhanced flexibility in the control
of microengines opens up new possibilities for their utilization in a wide
range of applications, encompassing microscale transport, sensing, and
actuation.Comment: 26 pages, 10 figure
Roadmap for optical tweezers
Optical tweezers are tools made of light that enable contactless pushing, trapping, and manipulation of objects, ranging from atoms to space light sails. Since the pioneering work by Arthur Ashkin in the 1970s, optical tweezers have evolved into sophisticated instruments and have been employed in a broad range of applications in the life sciences, physics, and engineering. These include accurate force and torque measurement at the femtonewton level, microrheology of complex fluids, single micro- and nano-particle spectroscopy, single-cell analysis, and statistical-physics experiments. This roadmap provides insights into current investigations involving optical forces and optical tweezers from their theoretical foundations to designs and setups. It also offers perspectives for applications to a wide range of research fields, from biophysics to space exploration
Recommended from our members
Roadmap for optical tweezers
Optical tweezers are tools made of light that enable contactless pushing, trapping, and manipulation of objects, ranging from atoms to space light sails. Since the pioneering work by Arthur Ashkin in the 1970s, optical tweezers have evolved into sophisticated instruments and have been employed in a broad range of applications in the life sciences, physics, and engineering. These include accurate force and torque measurement at the femtonewton level, microrheology of complex fluids, single micro- and nano-particle spectroscopy, single-cell analysis, and statistical-physics experiments. This roadmap provides insights into current investigations involving optical forces and optical tweezers from their theoretical foundations to designs and setups. It also offers perspectives for applications to a wide range of research fields, from biophysics to space exploration
Roadmap for optical tweezers
Optical tweezers are tools made of light that enable contactless pushing,
trapping, and manipulation of objects ranging from atoms to space light sails.
Since the pioneering work by Arthur Ashkin in the 1970s, optical tweezers have
evolved into sophisticated instruments and have been employed in a broad range
of applications in life sciences, physics, and engineering. These include
accurate force and torque measurement at the femtonewton level, microrheology
of complex fluids, single micro- and nanoparticle spectroscopy, single-cell
analysis, and statistical-physics experiments. This roadmap provides insights
into current investigations involving optical forces and optical tweezers from
their theoretical foundations to designs and setups. It also offers
perspectives for applications to a wide range of research fields, from
biophysics to space exploration