Skip to main content

Art Ashkin and the Origins of Optical Trapping and Particle Manipulation

  • Protocol
  • First Online:
Optical Tweezers

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 2478))

Abstract

A brief history of optical forces, the invention of optical tweezers, and their application to biological problems.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Protocol
USD 49.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. McClain DL (2020) Arthur Ashkin, 98, dies; nobel laureate invented a ‘tractor beam’. In: New York Times B11

    Google Scholar 

  2. Smith EE (1931) Spacehounds of IPC. In: Amazing stories

    Google Scholar 

  3. Koch MD, Shaevitz JW (2017) Introduction to optical tweezers. In: Gennerich A (ed) Optical tweezers: methods and protocols. Springer, New York, pp. 3–24

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  4. Ashkin A (2006) Optical trapping and manipulation of neutral particles using lasers. World Scientific, Singapore

    Book  Google Scholar 

  5. Maxwell, JC (1865) VIII. A dynamical theory of the electromagnetic field. Philos Trans R Soc Lond 155:459–512

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. Lebedev P (1901) Untersuchungen über die Druckkräfte des Lichtes. Ann Phys 4(6):433–458.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Nichols EF, Hull GF (1903) The pressure due to radiation. Astrophys J 17(5):315–351

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Poynting JH (1905) Radiation pressure. Lond Edinb Dublin Philos Mag J Sci 9(52):393–406

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Poynting JH (1904) Radiation pressure. Nature 71(1835):200–201

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. Gordon JP (1973) Radiation forces and momenta in dielectric media. Phys Rev A 8:14–21

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. Essiambre R-J (2018) Arthur Ashkin: Nobel lecture in physics 2018. YouTube: Nobel Prize. https://youtu.be/wAGOArzsEmQ

  12. Ashkin A (1970) Acceleration and trapping of particles by radiation pressure. Phys Rev Lett 24(4):156–159

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. Ashkin A, Dziedzic JM (1975) Optical levitation of liquid drops by radiation pressure. Science 187(4181):1073–1075

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. Ashkin A, Dziedzic JM (1971) Optical levitation by radiation pressure. Appl Phys Lett 19(8):283–285

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  15. Ashkin A, Dziedzic JM (1976) Optical levitation in high vacuum. Appl Phys Lett 28(6):333–335

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  16. Ashkin A (1977) Observation of resonances in the radiation pressure on dielectric spheres. Phys Rev Lett 38(23):1351–1354

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  17. Ashkin A (1980) Applications of laser radiation pressure. Science. 210(4474):1081–1088

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  18. Ashkin A (1978) Trapping of atoms by resonance radiation pressure. Phys Rev Lett 40(12):729–732

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  19. Chu S (1991) Laser manipulation of atoms and particles. Science 253(5022):861–866

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  20. Chu S et al. (1986) Experimental observation of optically trapped atoms. Phys Rev Lett 57(3):314–317

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  21. Buican TN et al. (1987) Automated single-cell manipulation and sorting by light trapping. Appl Opt 26(24):5311

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  22. Constable A et al. (1993) Demonstration of a fiber-optical light-force trap. Opt Lett 18(21):1867

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  23. Smith SB, Cui Y, Bustamante C (1996) Overstretching B-DNA: the elastic response of individual double-stranded and single-stranded DNA molecules. Science 271(5250):795–799

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  24. Ashkin A et al. (1986) Observation of a single-beam gradient force optical trap for dielectric particles. Opt Lett 11(5):288

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  25. van Leewenhoeck A (1677) Observations, communicated to the publisher by Mr. Antony van Leewenhoeck, in a Dutch letter of the 9th Octob. 1676. here English’d: concerning little animals by him observed in rain-well-sea- and snow water; as also in water wherein pepper had lain infused. Philos Trans R Soc Lond 12(133):821–831

    Google Scholar 

  26. Lane N (2015) The unseen world: reflections on Leeuwenhoek (1677) ‘Concerning little animals’. Philos Trans R Soc B: Biol Sci 370(1666):20140344

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Ashkin A, Dziedzic JM (1987) Optical trapping and manipulation of viruses and bacteria. Science 235(4795):1517–1520

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  28. Ashkin A, Dziedzic JM, Yamane T (1987) Optical trapping and manipulation of single cells using infrared laser beams. Nature 330(6150):769–771

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors are indebted to Rene-Jean Essiambre and John Bjorkholm, who supplied us with valuable insight into Art’s past as well as the unpublished manuscript draft.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Joshua W. Shaevitz .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature

About this protocol

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this protocol

Koch, M.D., Shaevitz, J.W. (2022). Art Ashkin and the Origins of Optical Trapping and Particle Manipulation. In: Gennerich, A. (eds) Optical Tweezers. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 2478. Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-2229-2_2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-2229-2_2

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Humana, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-0716-2228-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-0716-2229-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

Publish with us

Policies and ethics