We describe a way to determine the total angular momentum, both spin and orbital, transferred to a particle trapped in optical tweezers. As an example an LG(02) mode of a laser beam with varying degrees of circular polarisation is used to trap and rotate an elongated particle with a well defined geometry. The method successfully estimates the total optical torque applied to the particle. For th...

Complex three-dimensional patterns of multifunctional optical traps can be encoded in phase-only computer-generated holograms and projected with the holographic optical trapping technique. The trap-forming holograms, in turn, are implemented as diffractive optical elements whose phase transfer functions generally do not faithfully reproduce the design. We demonstrate that phase encoding errors ...

Laser manipulation of trapped radial 4'-n-pentyl-4-cyanobiphenyl (5CB) nematic liquid-crystal droplets induced by molecular reordering is presented. We show experimentally that optical tweezers having linear, elliptical, or circular polarization can break the radial symmetry of the initial molecular organization inside a radial nematic droplet. Static distorted or twisted deformation modes and ...

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We detected the second-order nonlinear response from single isolated spheres comprised from a centrosymmetric material but covered by a layer of a material with strong second-order nonlinear properties and isolated from an ensemble by the optical trapping technique. We show that when large size parameter spheres are used, the measured second-harmonic efficiency deviates strongly from the predic...

We calculate trapping forces, trap stiffness and interference effects for spherical particles in optical tweezers using electromagnetic theory. We show the dependence of these on relative refractive index and particle size. We investigate resonance effects, especially in high refractive index particles where interference effects are expected to be strongest. We also show how these simulations c...

We demonstrate the retrieval of column-density images of cold atoms, using a noninterferometric phase-recovery technique based on a single off-resonant and defocused intensity image. The quantitative column density is retrieved via Fourier inversion and remains robust with respect to detuning and defocus. The technique offers excellent prospects for simple, nondestructive imaging of atoms in ma...

We present the simultaneous cooling and trapping of an isotopic mixture in a magneto-optical trap and we describe the transfer of the mixture into a conservative, far-off resonant dipole trap. The mixture is prepared with a new technique that applies to intermediate and heavy alkaline earth like atoms. In this work, Sr and Sr are simultaneously loaded first into the magneto-optical trap operate...

African pit latrines produce prodigious numbers of the latrine fly, Chrysomya putoria, a putative vector of diarrhoeal pathogens. We set out to develop a simple, low-cost odour-baited trap for collecting C. putoria in the field. A series of field experiments was carried out in The Gambia to assess the catching-efficiency of different trap designs. The basic trap was a transparent 3L polypropyle...

Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) plays an important role in bone resorption. TRAP expression in osteoclasts is regulated by receptor activator of NF-kappaB (RANKL), a potent activator of osteoclast differentiation. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the RANKL-induced TRAP expression remains unknown. Here we show that two regions in the mouse TRAP promoter (one at -1858 to -12...