Three-dimensional optical control of individual quantum dots

We show that individual colloidal CdSe-core quantum dots can be optically trapped and manipulated in three dimensions by an infrared continuous wave laser operated at low laser powers. This makes possible utilizing quantum dots not only for visualization but also for manipulation, an important advantage for single molecule experiments. Moreover, we provide quantitative information about the magnitude of forces applicable to a single quantum dot and of the polarizability of an individual quantum dot.