Abstract

Birefringent particles rotate when trapped in elliptically polarized light. When an infinity corrected oil-immersion objective is used for trapping, rotation of birefringent particles in optical tweezers based on an infinity optical microscope is affected by the spherical aberration at the glass–water interface. The maximum rotation rate of birefringent particles occurs close to the coverslip, and the rotation rate decreases dramatically as the trapped depth increases. We experimentally demonstrate that spherical aberration can be compensated by using a finite-distance-corrected objective to trap and rotate the birefringent particles. It is found that the trapped depth corresponding to the maximum rotation rate is $50\mathrm{\mu m}$, and the rotation rates at deep trapped depths are improved.

© 2009 Optical Society of America

Aberration compensation for optical trapping of cells within living mice

Min-Cheng Zhong, Zi-Qiang Wang, and Yin-Mei Li
Appl. Opt. 56(7) 1972-1976 (2017)

Correction of aberration in holographic optical tweezers using a Shack-Hartmann sensor

Carol López-Quesada, Jordi Andilla, and Estela Martín-Badosa
Appl. Opt. 48(6) 1084-1090 (2009)

Efficient in-depth trapping with an oil-immersion objective lens

S. Nader S. Reihani, Mohammad A. Charsooghi, Hamid R. Khalesifard, and Ramin Golestanian
Opt. Lett. 31(6) 766-768 (2006)

Optical trap stiffness in the presence and absence of spherical aberrations

Karen C. Vermeulen, Gijs J. L. Wuite, Ger J. M. Stienen, and Christoph F. Schmidt
Appl. Opt. 45(8) 1812-1819 (2006)

Influence of a glass-water interface on the on-axis trapping of micrometer-sized spherical objects by optical tweezers

Erik Fällman and Ove Axner
Appl. Opt. 42(19) 3915-3926 (2003)