Optical trapping and manipulation for single-particle spectroscopy and microscopy

What is it about?

This perspective article discusses the challenges of performing spectroscopy and microscopy on single nanoparticles with optical tweezers, the possible routes to address these challenges, and the new opportunities that will arise.

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Photo by FLY:D on Unsplash

Photo by FLY:D on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Optical tweezers can control the position and orientation of individual colloidal particles in solution. Such control is often desirable but challenging for single-particle spectroscopy and microscopy, especially at the nanoscale. Functional nanoparticles that are optically trapped and manipulated in a three-dimensional space can serve as freestanding nanoprobes, which provide unique prospects for sensing and mapping the surrounding environment of the nanoparticles and studying their interactions with biological systems.