Oral Presentation at SPIE Photonics West 2020: Single low-NA objective counterpropagating optical traps enabled by 3D-printed mirrors
04 February, 2020
We show a dynamic counterpropagating optical trapping scheme based on a single low-NA objective and two right-angle prism mirrors µ-3D printed on a glass coverslip. Multiple beams are created with a Spatial Light Modulator and redirected to face each other by the mirrors. The key advantages of this approach are the simple alignment, the long working distance that allows trapping of large samples, the straightforward compatibility with other advanced microscopies and the intrinsic side-view of the trapped object. We demonstrate the viability of our approach by performing trapping and 3D manipulation of dielectric beads and cells.