Use of tethering for axial confinement in optical tweezers

摘要

Lambda DNA is used to tether polystyrene microspheres to an optical substrate, thus eliminating the need for high numerical aperture trapping lenses in single beam optical tweezers to provide axial trapping. The tethered particle may be used as a sensor probe to measure local viscosity and forces on the trapped particle such as those induced by fluid flow.