A microscale technique known as optical trapping uses beams
of light as tweezers to hold and manipulate tiny particles. Stanford
researchers have found a new way to trap particles smaller than 10 nanometers -
and potentially down to just a few atoms in size – which until now have escaped
light’s grasp.
To grasp and move microscopic objects, such as bacteria and
the components of living cells, scientists can harness the power of
concentrated light to manipulate them without ever physically touching them.
Now, doctoral student Amr Saleh and Assistant Professor
Jennifer Dionne, researchers at the Stanford School of Engineering, have
designed an innovative light aperture that allows them to optically trap
smaller objects than ever before – potentially just a few atoms in size.