Low-cost Optical Tweezers Based On Aberration Correction
Submission Type
Synchronous Poster
Area of Study or Work
Physics
Zoom Meeting
Faculty Advisor
Gabe Spalding
Expected Graduation Date
2023
Start Date
4-11-2021 2:00 PM
End Date
4-11-2021 3:00 PM
Abstract
Optical tweezers utilize strong gradients in light fields to manipulate and interrogate the micro-world. However, optical aberrations can all too easily render the technique impossible (“washing out” the strong gradients required). So very expensive (aberration corrected) high-power lenses are normally utilized. The goal of this project is to develop methods allowing utilization of extremely inexpensive disposable lenses, fabricated from a suspended droplet of transparent silicone rubber. While such lenses are likely to suffer from significant aberration of the optical field, corrections are possible by integration of a reflective liquid crystal device called a Spatial Light Modulator (SLM). While serving as Beta Testers for a Python software development kit (SDK) for the SLM, we aim to develop a generic algorithm that can optimize an optical tweezers systems quickly and efficiently, each time a new disposable is introduced.
Low-cost Optical Tweezers Based On Aberration Correction
Optical tweezers utilize strong gradients in light fields to manipulate and interrogate the micro-world. However, optical aberrations can all too easily render the technique impossible (“washing out” the strong gradients required). So very expensive (aberration corrected) high-power lenses are normally utilized. The goal of this project is to develop methods allowing utilization of extremely inexpensive disposable lenses, fabricated from a suspended droplet of transparent silicone rubber. While such lenses are likely to suffer from significant aberration of the optical field, corrections are possible by integration of a reflective liquid crystal device called a Spatial Light Modulator (SLM). While serving as Beta Testers for a Python software development kit (SDK) for the SLM, we aim to develop a generic algorithm that can optimize an optical tweezers systems quickly and efficiently, each time a new disposable is introduced.