Trapping and controlled rotation of low-refractive-index particles using dual line optical tweezers

Abstract

We show that dual line optical tweezers provides a convenient and dynamically reconfigurable approach for trapping and transport of low refractive index microscopic particles. By varying the spacing between the two line tweezers, particles of varying sizes could be trapped. Further, simultaneous rotation of the dual line tweezers could be used for controlled rotation of the trapped low-index particles. The transverse trapping force and the efficiency of the trap measured along the direction perpendicular to the line tweezers are in very good agreement with the theoretically estimated value.