A new Star Trek-like tractor-beam technology is advancing optical tweezer technology beyond of the realm of science fiction, according to findings detailed in a new study.
Optical tweezers manipulate atoms and nanoparticles using laser beams. These beams act like tweezers but use focused light instead of steel to hold small objects. By controlling the beam, operators can move and manipulate tiny particles without physical contact. The technology holds promise for nanoscale work, but many obstacles have held it back.
The devices aid biologists in investigating DNA, classifying cells, and peering into how diseases operate. While they may be designed to work on tiny particles, traditional optical tweezers are anything but. They generally require an extensive microscope installation and other bulky apparatus for forming and controlling light. By moving toward a chip-based design produced using a fabrication process known as silicon photonics, optical tweezers eliminate these problems and become more mass-producible and accessible.
“With silicon photonics, we can integrate this large, typically lab-scale system onto a chip. This presents a great solution for biologists since it provides optical trapping and tweezing functionality without the overhead of a complicated bulk-optical setup,” study co-author Jelena Notaros said.
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