![Sample our Physical Sciences journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/110819/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Physical-Sciences.jpg"})
Abstract
We demonstrate that the axial trapping efficiency in optical tweezers is improved by using a Laguerre-Gaussian laser mode as the trapping beam. For a wide range of particle sizes and sample cell depths, the laser power required with an l = 3 Laguerre-Gaussian mode is reduced by a factor of two compared with that of the fundamental mode. This is important for biological applications where a reduction in the laser power lessens the risk of damage to living samples.