Template stripped double nanohole in a gold film for nano-optical tweezers.

Double nanohole (DNH) laser tweezers can optically trap and manipulate objects such as proteins, nanospheres, and other nanoparticles; however, precise fabrication of those DNHs has been expensive with low throughput. In this work, template stripping was used to pattern DNHs with gaps as small as 7 nm, in optically thick Au films. These DNHs were used to trap streptavidin as proof of operation.

Observing single protein binding by optical transmission through a double nanohole aperture in a metal film.

We experimentally demonstrate protein binding at the single particle level. A double nanohole (DNH) optical trap was used to hold onto a 20 nm biotin-coated polystyrene (PS) particle which subsequently is bound to streptavidin. Biotin-streptavidin binding has been detected by an increase in the optical transmission through the DNH.

Double nanohole optical trapping: dynamics and protein-antibody co-trapping.

A double nanohole in a metal film can optically trap nanoparticles such as polystyrene/silica spheres, encapsulated quantum dots and up-converting nanoparticles. Here we study the dynamics of trapped particles, showing a skewed distribution and low roll-off frequency that are indicative of Kramers-hopping at the nanoscale. Numerical simulations of trapped particles show a double-well potential normally found in Kramers-hopping systems, as well as providing quantitative agreement with the overall trapping potential.

Optical trapping of nanoparticles.

Optical trapping is a technique for immobilizing and manipulating small objects in a gentle way using light, and it has been widely applied in trapping and manipulating small biological particles. Ashkin and co-workers first demonstrated optical tweezers using a single focused beam. The single beam trap can be described accurately using the perturbative gradient force formulation in the case of small Rayleigh regime particles.

Flow-dependent double-nanohole optical trapping of 20 nm polystyrene nanospheres.

We study the influence of fluid flow on the ability to trap optically a 20 nm polystyrene particle from a stationary microfluidic environment and then hold it against flow. Increased laser power is required to hold nanoparticles as the flow rate is increased, with an empirical linear dependence of 1 μl/(min×mW). This is promising for the delivery of additional nanoparticles to interact with a trapped nanoparticle; for example, to study protein-protein interactions, and for the ability to move the trapped particle in solution from one location to another.