Optical Tweezers at Angelo State University

Simple plans for the development of an optical tweezers apparatus can be found in current literature. The optical tweezes is based on utilizing force gradients produced by well focused light and can be used to manipulate very small samples ($<$600nm) without direct contact. The physics required to understand the optical tweezers is accessible to undergraduate students, making the experiment attractive for advanced undergraduate teaching labs. An optical tweezers apparatus has been constructed at Angelo State University and is currently being tested for its feasibility as a tool for investigating delicate biological samples.