PHYS 442 |
| Optical trapping of objects with submicron dimensions has become an invaluable tool for studying the properties and function of single biological molecules with unprecedented detail. It is not yet possible, however, to use optical tweezers to trap single molecules without attachment to micrometer-sized polystyrene beads. This leads to the question of whether the observed behavior is a true representation of the molecule in its native environment. We are taking a new approach for trapping single molecules using the tools of scanning near-field optical microscopy. A tapered and metal-coated tip is used to create a strong and inhomogeneous electric field in the immediate vicinity of the investigated molecule which has been inserted into a phospholipid film in order to restrict its motion to two dimensions. The resulting interaction forces can be used to trap and manipulate the molecule under conditions mimicking its native environment. |
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PHYS Poster Session - Nanostructured Materials and Nanophotonics
7:30 PM-10:00 PM, Wednesday, April 9, 2008 Morial Convention Center -- Hall A, Poster
Division of Physical Chemistry |