Optical manipulation: a step change for biomedical science
Carl A. Campugan, Kylie R. Dunning, Kishan Dholakia
Abstract
The transfer of optical momentum can exert miniscule but important forces on biological specimens. This area of optical manipulation has been thriving for over 50 years. Its importance was recognised by the award of half of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2018 to Arthur Ashkin for the use of a single focused light beam for manipulation, namely optical tweezers. This article reviews the basic physics of trapping and gives an overview of the basic premise of the field. We particularly focus upon its importance and impact on the biomedical sciences.
Topics & Concepts
Optical tweezersThrivingPremiseFocus (optics)PhysicsNanotechnologyEngineering ethicsEngineering physicsOpticsEngineeringSociologyEpistemologyMaterials sciencePhilosophySocial scienceOrbital Angular Momentum in OpticsMicrofluidic and Bio-sensing TechnologiesNear-Field Optical Microscopy