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Credit: Dr Fan Wang
Much like the Jedis in Star Wars use the force to control objects from a distance, scientists can use light or optical force to move very small particles.
The inventors of this ground-breaking laser technology, known as optical tweezers , were awarded the 2018 Nobel Prize in physics.
Optical tweezers are used in biology, medicine and materials science to assemble and manipulate nanoparticles such as gold atoms. However, the technology relies on a difference in the refractive properties of the trapped particle and the surrounding environment.
Now scientists have discovered a new technique that allows them to manipulate particles that have the same refractive properties as the background environment, overcoming a fundamental technical challenge.