Bistability-enabled microspheres mass sensing via optical probe in aqueous solution
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Optical tweezers possess unique advantages in microparticle properties characterization and dynamics research owing to their non-invasive manipulation and all-optical perception mechanism. In this paper, we demonstrate that the spherical aberration induced by dry-objective optical tweezers generates two stable equilibrium positions for dielectric particles in aqueous media under gravitational effects. The trapping bistability can serve as an all-optical, non-contact methodology for semi-quantitative estimation of single microsphere masses with a relative measurement error of approximately 16%. By counteracting the annihilation of optical forces, we suppress the bistability and the maximum escape velocity has been promoted from 152 µm/s to 650 µm/s, which validated the feasibility of bistability trapping potential well command, and provided a new approach for the dynamic analysis of aqueous optical tweezers.
Source: Optics Express
DOI: 10.1364/oe.586569
Authors: Jian Wu, Wenfeng Fan, Qi Zheng, Lihong Duan, Jin Li, Wei Quan
Language: English
Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,270
OpenAlex ID: W7123370971