optical tweezers

American  

noun

(used with a singular or plural verb)

1. a laser device used to study, manipulate, or trap a microscopic object, as a microorganism or cell, with nanometer precision.

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Example Sentences

These "optical tweezers" keep drifting aerosols suspended long enough to study them.

From Science Daily

Quantum processors based on two-dimensional arrays of optical tweezers, which are created using focussed laser beams, are one of the most promising technologies for developing quantum computing and simulation that will enable highly beneficial applications in the future.

From Science Daily

When the researchers studied bacteria dynamics and biofilm formation using optical tweezers at 820 nm wavelength for an hour, they discovered that bacterial clusters aggregated near optically trapped clusters, adhered to the surface and started to form a microcolony.

From Science Daily

"Producing microscopic components usually requires a highly technical fabrication process, but we found that optical tweezers can be used to precisely control the position of individual bacteria or clusters of bacteria," said research team leader Anna Bezryadina from California State University Northridge.

From Science Daily

Nanoprobes or optical tweezers with sizes in the nanometre range are now within reach.

From Science Daily