Unique Presentation Identifier:
O13
Program Type
Undergraduate
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Jessica Young
Document Type
Presentation
Location
Face-to-face
Start Date
29-4-2025 1:30 PM
Abstract
The goal of our work is the design and construction of an optical trap, also known as an "optical tweezer," using equipment commonly available to the undergraduate physics laboratory. Such devices allow us to observe and manipulate micron-scale (on the order of one-thousandth of a millimeter) objects in 3-dimensional space using only light.
The system consists primarily of five components: a laser, two mirrors to collimate (make parallel to the optical table) the beam, two lenses forming a beam expander, two more lenses granting control over the trapping plane, and a microscope objective to focus the beam. Thus far we have aligned the collimating mirrors, calculated the necessary magnification of the beam expander for optimal trapping, and aligned the beam expanding lenses. Remaining work will be focused on introducing the microscope into the beam path and aligning the trap to achieve successful trapping of polystyrene spheres.
Recommended Citation
Temple, Joseph E., "Light as a Lasso: The Design and Construction of an Optical Trap" (2025). ATU Student Research Symposium. 29.
https://orc.library.atu.edu/atu_rs/2025/2025/29
Included in
Light as a Lasso: The Design and Construction of an Optical Trap
Face-to-face
The goal of our work is the design and construction of an optical trap, also known as an "optical tweezer," using equipment commonly available to the undergraduate physics laboratory. Such devices allow us to observe and manipulate micron-scale (on the order of one-thousandth of a millimeter) objects in 3-dimensional space using only light.
The system consists primarily of five components: a laser, two mirrors to collimate (make parallel to the optical table) the beam, two lenses forming a beam expander, two more lenses granting control over the trapping plane, and a microscope objective to focus the beam. Thus far we have aligned the collimating mirrors, calculated the necessary magnification of the beam expander for optimal trapping, and aligned the beam expanding lenses. Remaining work will be focused on introducing the microscope into the beam path and aligning the trap to achieve successful trapping of polystyrene spheres.