Accurate measurement of microscopic forces and torques using optical tweezers
It is now well known that matter may be trapped by optical fields with high intensity gradients. Once trapped, it is then possible to manipulate microscopic particles using such optical fields, in so-called optical tweezers. Such optical trapping and tweezing systems have found widespread applicatio...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Academy of Science of South Africa
2011-09-01
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| Series: | South African Journal of Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.sajs.co.za/article/view/9993 |
| _version_ | 1818927297020821504 |
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| author | Melanie McLaren Elias Sidderas-Haddad Andrew Forbes |
| author_facet | Melanie McLaren Elias Sidderas-Haddad Andrew Forbes |
| author_sort | Melanie McLaren |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | It is now well known that matter may be trapped by optical fields with high intensity gradients. Once trapped, it is then possible to manipulate microscopic particles using such optical fields, in so-called optical tweezers. Such optical trapping and tweezing systems have found widespread application across diverse fields in science, from applied biology to fundamental physics. In this article we outline the design and construction of an optical trapping and tweezing system, and show how the resulting interaction of the laser light with microscopic particles may be understood in terms of the transfer of linear and angular momentum of light. We demonstrate experimentally the use of our optical tweezing configuration for the measurement of microscopic forces and torques. In particular, we make use of digital holography to create so-called vortex laser beams, capable of transferring orbital angular momentum to particles. The use of such novel laser beams in an optical trapping and tweezing set-up allows for the control of biological species at the single-cell level. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T03:10:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-95c89095c03a43b5b9cd59228289ac32 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-7489 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T03:10:46Z |
| publishDate | 2011-09-01 |
| publisher | Academy of Science of South Africa |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South African Journal of Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-95c89095c03a43b5b9cd59228289ac322022-12-21T19:55:29ZengAcademy of Science of South AfricaSouth African Journal of Science1996-74892011-09-011079/10Accurate measurement of microscopic forces and torques using optical tweezersMelanie McLaren0Elias Sidderas-Haddad1Andrew Forbes2National Laser Centre, CSIRSchool of Physics, University of the WitwatersrandNational Laser Centre, CSIRIt is now well known that matter may be trapped by optical fields with high intensity gradients. Once trapped, it is then possible to manipulate microscopic particles using such optical fields, in so-called optical tweezers. Such optical trapping and tweezing systems have found widespread application across diverse fields in science, from applied biology to fundamental physics. In this article we outline the design and construction of an optical trapping and tweezing system, and show how the resulting interaction of the laser light with microscopic particles may be understood in terms of the transfer of linear and angular momentum of light. We demonstrate experimentally the use of our optical tweezing configuration for the measurement of microscopic forces and torques. In particular, we make use of digital holography to create so-called vortex laser beams, capable of transferring orbital angular momentum to particles. The use of such novel laser beams in an optical trapping and tweezing set-up allows for the control of biological species at the single-cell level.https://www.sajs.co.za/article/view/9993optical tweezingangular momentum of lightvortex beamsoptical forcesoptical trapping |
| spellingShingle | Melanie McLaren Elias Sidderas-Haddad Andrew Forbes Accurate measurement of microscopic forces and torques using optical tweezers South African Journal of Science optical tweezing angular momentum of light vortex beams optical forces optical trapping |
| title | Accurate measurement of microscopic forces and torques using optical tweezers |
| title_full | Accurate measurement of microscopic forces and torques using optical tweezers |
| title_fullStr | Accurate measurement of microscopic forces and torques using optical tweezers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Accurate measurement of microscopic forces and torques using optical tweezers |
| title_short | Accurate measurement of microscopic forces and torques using optical tweezers |
| title_sort | accurate measurement of microscopic forces and torques using optical tweezers |
| topic | optical tweezing angular momentum of light vortex beams optical forces optical trapping |
| url | https://www.sajs.co.za/article/view/9993 |
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