Optical trapping describes the interaction between light and matter to manipulate micro-
objects through momentum transfer. In the case of 3D trapping with a single beam, this is …

Optical tweezers have become the method of choice in single-molecule manipulation
studies. In this Primer, we first review the physical principles of optical tweezers and the …

The topological properties of an object, associated with an integer called the topological
invariant, are global features that cannot change continuously but only through abrupt …

Optical elements that convert the spin angular momentum (SAM) of light into vortex beams
have found applications in classical and quantum optics. These elements—SAM-to–orbital …

Optical tweezers employing forces produced by light underpin important manipulation tools
employed in numerous areas of applied and biological physics. Conventional optical …

Optical tweezers are tools made of light that enable contactless pushing, trapping, and
manipulation of objects, ranging from atoms to space light sails. Since the pioneering work …

The pace of innovations in the field of optical trapping has ramped up in the past couple of
years. The implementation of structured light, leading to groundbreaking inventions such as …

Twenty-five years ago Allen, Beijersbergen, Spreeuw, and Woerdman published their
seminal paper establishing that light beams with helical phase-fronts carried an orbital …

Vector vortex beams have attracted considerable research attention owing to their unique
optical properties, and have been explored in vortex filtering, photon entanglement, and the …

Since the invention of optical tweezers, optical manipulation has advanced significantly in
scientific areas such as atomic physics, optics and biological science. Especially in the past …