Optical trapping with structured light: a review

Optical trapping describes the interaction between light and matter to manipulate micro-objects through momentum transfer. In case of 3D with a single beam, this is termed optical tweezers. tweezers are powerful noninvasive tool for manipulating small objects, have become indispensable in many fields, including physics, biology, soft condensed matter, among others. early days, was typically accomplished Gaussian beam. recent years, we witnessed rapid progress use structured beams customized phase, amplitude, polarization trapping. Unusual beam properties, such as phase singularities on-axis propagation invariant nature, opened up novel capabilities study micromanipulation liquid, air, vacuum. We summarize advances field using beams.