Open AccessHigh-precision steering of multiple holographic optical traps
Author(s) -
Christian Schmitz,
Joachim P. Spatz,
Jennifer E. Curtis
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/opex.13.008678
Subject(s) - holography , optics , optical tweezers , superposition principle , image resolution , resolution (logic) , physics , position (finance) , pixel , beam steering , beam (structure) , computer science , artificial intelligence , finance , quantum mechanics , economics
Locating and steering entire ensembles of microscopic objects has become extremely practical with the emergence of holographic optical tweezers. Application of this technology to single molecule experiments requires great accuracy in the spatial positioning of optical traps. This paper calculates the theoretical position resolution of a single holographic beam, predicting that sub-nanometer resolution is easily achieved. Experimental corroboration of the spatial resolution's inverse dependence on the hologram's number of pixels and phase levels is presented. To at least a nanometer range position resolution, multiple optical tweezers created by complex superposition holograms also follow the theoretical predictions for a single beam.