Low-Power Optical Tweezers Shield Trapped Bioparticles from Damage

Optical tweezers trap and manipulate minute particles with light. The technology is used across fields, ranging from manufacturing to biotech, though it requires the use of high-powered lasers to ensure proper function. These lasers can damage the trapped objects — especially if the objects are fragile, like living cells and nanoparticles. Making optical tweezers safer to use these fragile objects could broaden the use of this Nobel Prize-winning technology for applications such as cancer therapy and environmental monitoring.