Large arrays of individually controlled atoms trapped in optical tweezers are a very promising platform for quantum engineering applications. However, deterministic loading of the traps is experimentally challenging. We demonstrate the preparation of fully loaded two-dimensional arrays of up to ~50 microtraps, each containing a single atom and arranged in arbitrary geometries. Starting from initially larger, half-filled matrices of randomly loaded traps, we obtain user-defined target arrays at unit filling. This is achieved with a real-time control system and a moving optical tweezers, which together enable a sequence of rapid atom moves depending on the initial distribution of the atoms in the arrays. These results open exciting prospects for quantum engineering with neutral atoms in tunable two-dimensional geometries.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.aah3778 | DOI Listing |
J Med Life
November 2024
Biophysics and Cellular Biotechnology Department, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania.
Optical tweezers, which leverage the forces exerted by radiation pressure, have emerged as a pivotal technique for precisely manipulating and analyzing microscopic particles. Since Arthur Ashkin's ground-breaking work in the 1970s and the subsequent development of the single-beam optical trap in 1986, the capabilities of optical tweezers have expanded significantly, enabling the intricate manipulation of biological specimens at the micro- and nanoscale. This review elucidates the foundational principles of optical trapping and their extensive applications in the biomedical sciences.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiomech Model Mechanobiol
January 2025
CNR Istituto Officina Dei Materiali, Area Science Park Basovizza, S.S. 14, Km 163,5, 34149, Trieste, Italy.
The organization and dynamics of the spectrin-actin membrane cytoskeleton play a crucial role in determining the mechanical properties of red blood cells (RBC). RBC are subjected to various forces that induce deformation during blood microcirculation. Such forces also regulate membrane tension, leading to Piezo1 channel activation, which is functionally linked to RBC dehydration through calcium influx and subsequent activation of Gardos channels, ultimately resulting in variations in RBC volume.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMicromachines (Basel)
December 2024
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, Medford, MA 02155, USA.
The electric fields of tightly focused laser beams can be strong enough to apply appreciable force to microscopic objects, including biological entities such as cells, bacteria, and even viruses and biomolecules [...
View Article and Find Full Text PDFImmunol Rev
December 2024
Laboratory of Immunobiology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
αβT cells protect vertebrates against many diseases, optimizing surveillance using mechanical force to distinguish between pathophysiologic cellular alterations and normal self-constituents. The multi-subunit αβT-cell receptor (TCR) operates outside of thermal equilibrium, harvesting energy via physical forces generated by T-cell motility and actin-myosin machinery. When a peptide-bound major histocompatibility complex molecule (pMHC) on an antigen presenting cell is ligated, the αβTCR on the T cell leverages force to form a catch bond, prolonging bond lifetime, and enhancing antigen discrimination.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSubcell Biochem
December 2024
Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (CSIC-UAM), and Department of Molecular Biology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
Structural biology techniques have greatly contributed to unveiling the interplay between molecular structure, physico-chemical properties, and biological function of viruses. In recent years, classic structural approaches are being complemented by single-molecule techniques such as atomic force microscopy and optical tweezers to study physical features of viral particles that are not accessible to classic structural techniques. Among these features are mechanical properties such as stiffness, intrinsic elasticity, tensile strength, and material fatigue.
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