Crozier lab propels gold nanoparticles

Gold nanoparticles are useful in biophysics and biotechnology, and can be held in place by optical tweezers. Standard optical tweezers, however, have focal spots at least half a wavelength in size, which places an upper bound on the force and a lower bound on the size of the trapping region they are able to produce.

Optical manipulation using surface plasmons, which have subwavelength features, can surpass these bounds. and biotechnology, and can be held in place by optical tweezers. Standard optical tweezers, however, have focal spots at least half a wavelength in size, which places an upper bound on the force and a lower bound on the size of the trapping region they are able to produce.

Read the full article in Nature Nanotechnology