Optical Tweezer Systems

Quantum Computing: Using photons and trapped atoms as qubits to process information at massive scales.
Quantum Sensors: Cold atoms act as ultra-precise gravimeters and inertial sensors capable of measuring tiny changes in gravity, acceleration, or the Earth's rotation without relying on GPS.
Atomic Clocks: These systems harness atomic resonance to build clocks that lose less than a second over thousands of years.
Atomic Physics: Optical tweezers can trap and manipulate individual atoms, facilitating studies in quantum optics and quantum information science.
Quantum Cryptography: Building secure, unbreakable communication networks via quantum key distribution.

Biological Sample Manipulation: They enable the non-invasive manipulation of cells and subcellular structures, allowing researchers to stretch, trap, and position biological samples with utmost precision or organelles without damaging them, enabling detailed studies of cellular processes.
Single Molecule Studies: Researchers use optical tweezers to study the mechanical properties of individual biomolecules, such as DNA, proteins, and motor proteins like kinesin and myosin.
Manipulation of Multiple Cells: Multiple cells can be simultaneously trapped and manipulated, paving the way for studies involving cell-cell interactions, tissue engineering, and the assembly of multicellular systems in vitro.
Cell Stretching and Trapping: We can trap individual cells and also stretch them gently. This capability has led to groundbreaking insights into cellular mechanics. By applying controlled forces to cells, scientists can investigate how they respond to mechanical stimuli, providing crucial information about cell adhesion, cytoskeletal dynamics, and the behavior of subcellular structures.

Controlled Movement and Positioning of Biological Samples: In Cellular and Molecular Biology, precise manipulation of biological samples are vital. Also to measure tiny forces on the order of piconewtons, making them useful for studying molecular interactions, such as the binding between proteins or the forces generated by molecular motors.

Measuring forces between individual biomolecules, controlled folding and unfolding of proteins, load-bearing kinetics of molecular motors, and stretching and twisting of DNA are just a few examples. Fully automatic force calibration ensures reliable and reproducible force measurements while the versatile setup enables compatibility with other optical techniques, such as fluorescence microscopy and total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF), to provide complementary information about molecular interactions and dynamics in the piconewton force range.

DNA and Protein Stretching: By attaching microscopic beads to the ends of DNA or protein molecules, scientists can use optical tweezers to study the mechanical properties of these molecules, such as their elasticity and how they respond to force.
DNA and RNA mechanics: Measure elasticity, folding/unfolding dynamics, and the behavior of nucleic acids under tension.
Molecular motors: Track steps and forces generated by individual motor proteins like kinesin, myosin, and RNA/DNA polymerases.
Protein interactions: Study bond rupture forces and protein-ligand binding kinetics.

Colloids, liquid crystals, active matter, extracellular matrix, micelles, flexible polymers – all examples of soft matter that can be investigated, manipulated, and evaluated by optical tweezers. With the nanometre-precision, simultaneous positioning of several hundreds of optical traps, and a high degree of automation, and is ideal for probing viscoelastic properties of materials, studying inter-particle interactions, measuring piconewton forces acting on particles, and exploring phenomena like phase transitions, aggregation, assembly mechanisms, and colloidal statistical mechanics.
Colloidal Science: Assemble custom nano-structures, study phase transitions in soft matter, and measure ultra-weak forces down to the piconewton scale

Exceptional stability, high spatial and temporal resolution and advanced image acquisition, making it ideal for both passive and active Microrheology. It allows precise measurements of local material response using either a single oscillating microparticle or multiple probe microparticles. Both methods can be applied in a wide range of samples, including biological cells, polymers, colloids, and other complex soft materials. Equipped with an integrated direct video capture or quadrant photodiode (QPD) particle tracking system, enabling simultaneous sample observation and particle manipulation.

Microparticle Manipulation: In physics experiments, optical tweezers can trap and manipulate small dielectric particles, which helps in studying colloidal systems and nanoparticle dynamics.
Materials Science: To manipulate nanoparticles, colloids, and even single molecules. Researchers can investigate surface forces, study the assembly of nanomaterials, and explore the mechanical properties of microstructures.

Aids in the assembly of Nanostructures, Nanoparticles and Nanowires and to manipulate and position nanoparticles with high precision. Their ability to precisely position and manipulate these tiny components is indispensable for various Nanotechnology applications, including Microdevices.

Researchers use optical tweezers to study how nanoparticles or drug delivery systems interact with cells are used in diagnostic devices to manipulate cells and small particles in medical samples for analysis.

Often integrated with microfluidic systems to control and manipulate particles in tiny fluid channels for research in biology, chemistry, and material sciences.

Built-in functionality for particle tracking and system compatibility with controlled containment chambers make an indispensable for aerosol studies. Various processes, such as aggregation and coagulation, can be observed and investigated in biological aerosols (e.g. pollen or viruses) and industrial particles (e.g. pollutants or soot). Multiple traps enable the trapping of individual particles and the measurement of interparticle forces in highly controlled conditions. Incorporation of Raman or fluorescence spectrometers into the system enables individual analysis and characterisation of the trapped particles.