Abstract

Holographic optical tweezers use forces exerted by computergenerated holograms to capture, move, sort, and transform objects ranging in size from tens of nanometers to hundreds of micrometers. Holographic optical tweezers can be arranged in arbitrary three-dimensional configurations. Each trap in an array can be imbued with unique properties, such as the ability to exert controlled torques as well as forces, by appropriately engineering the beams’ wave fronts. This presentation introduces holographic optical trapping as a new technique, and highlights two applications: sorting mesoscopic objects with arrays of optical traps (optical fractionation) and driving microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) with arrays of optical vortices.

© 2003 Optical Society of America