Scientists develop new technique for bespoke optical tweezers

Scientists at the University of Exeter have developed a new technique for optical tweezers, a method used to trap small particles with light. This advancement builds upon the conventional optical tweezers by custom-tailoring the optical trap to provide stronger confinement for particles. The research, published in Science Advances, focuses on optimizing the shape of light to enhance trapping efficiency. Unlike traditional optical tweezers where particles experience thermal motion, the new technique aims to confine particles more effectively by enveloping them with light. This approach requires a customized light shape for each particle, leading to the development of mathematical and numerical methods for practical implementation. Collaborating with researchers from the University of Glasgow and the Vienna University of Technology, the team has successfully demonstrated the effectiveness of this bespoke optical trapping method. By improving the confinement of particles, this new technique opens up possibilities for various applications in nanotechnology and other scientific fields.