Jove
Visualize
Contact Us

Related Experiment Videos

Optical tweezers: 20 years on.

David McGloin1

  • 1School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews North Haugh, St Andrews KY16 9SS, UK. dm11@st-and.ac.uk

Philosophical Transactions. Series A, Mathematical, Physical, and Engineering Sciences
|November 9, 2006
PubMed
Summary

Optical tweezers use focused laser beams to trap tiny particles. This technology, pioneered in 1986, has diverse applications and is advancing, particularly in aerosol manipulation.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Temporal compressive edge imaging enabled by a lensless diffuser camera.

Optics letters·2024
Same author

Examining the Effect of Kindlin-3 Binding Site Mutation on LFA-1-ICAM-1 Bonds by Force Measuring Optical Tweezers.

Frontiers in immunology·2022
Same author

Effects of spatial confinement on migratory properties of Dictyostelium discoideum cells.

Communicative & integrative biology·2021
Same author

Analysis of barotactic and chemotactic guidance cues on directional decision-making of <i>Dictyostelium discoideum</i> cells in confined environments.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2020
Same author

Measurement of junctional tension in epithelial cells at the onset of primitive streak formation in the chick embryo via non-destructive optical manipulation.

Development (Cambridge, England)·2020
Same author

Numerically Enhanced Stimulated Emission Depletion Microscopy with Adaptive Optics for Deep-Tissue Super-Resolved Imaging.

ACS nano·2019
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Area of Science:

  • Physics
  • Optics
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • Introduces optical tweezers, a technology developed in 1986 for trapping dielectric particles with lasers.
  • Highlights the foundational 1986 Optics Letters paper by Arthur Ashkin et al.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Provide background on optical manipulation technologies.
  • Overview applications of optical tweezers.
  • Discuss future directions for optical tweezers technology.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizes focused laser beams for optical trapping.
  • Details the principles of gradient force optical traps.
  • Explores recent advancements in aerosol manipulation.

Main Results:

  • Demonstrates the capability of optical tweezers to trap micrometre-sized dielectric particles.
  • Presents a review of established and emerging applications.
  • Includes recent findings on optical manipulation of aerosols.

Conclusions:

  • Optical tweezers are a maturing technology with a significant impact.
  • Future research will likely expand applications in various scientific fields.
  • Continued development promises new capabilities in optical manipulation.

Related Experiment Videos