The Optical Tweezers

    View of the optical tweezers apparatus showing the 1W YAG laser on the left side of the breadboard, beam-steering optics in the middle of the table, and the microscope on the right hand side.  The video camera is mounted above the scope, and separate electronics control the microscope stage and one of the positioning mirrors.  Together, we have independent multi-axis control of two optical tweezers, allowing us to manipulate two micron-sized objects simultaneously.