(Peer-Reviewed) A review on optical torques: from engineered light fields to objects
Tao He 何韬 ¹ ² ³ ⁴ ⁵, Jingyao Zhang 张婧瑶 ¹ ² ³ ⁴ ⁵, Din Ping Tsai 蔡定平 ⁶, Junxiao Zhou 周军晓 ⁶, Haiyang Huang 黄海洋 ¹ ² ³ ⁴ ⁵, Weicheng Yi 夷伟成 ¹ ² ³ ⁴ ⁵, Zeyong Wei 魏泽勇 ¹ ² ³ ⁴ ⁵, Yan Zu 祖岩 ⁷, Qinghua Song 宋清华 ⁸, Zhanshan Wang 王占山 ¹ ² ³ ⁴ ⁵, Cheng-Wei Qiu 仇成伟 ⁹, Yuzhi Shi 施宇智 ¹ ² ³ ⁴ ⁵, Xinbin Cheng 程鑫彬 ¹ ² ³ ⁴ ⁵
¹ Institute of Precision Optical Engineering, School of Physics Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
中国 上海 同济大学精密光学工程技术研究所
² MOE Key Laboratory of Advanced Micro-Structured Materials, Shanghai 200092, China
中国 上海 先进微结构材料教育部重点实验室
³ Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Digital Optics, Shanghai 200092, China
中国 上海 数字光学前沿科学研究基地
⁴ Shanghai Institute of Intelligent Science and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
中国 上海 同济大学 上海智能科学与技术研究所
⁵ Shanghai Professional Technical Service Platform for Full-Spectrum and High-Performance Optical Thin Film Devices and Applications, Shanghai 200092, China
中国 上海 上海市全光谱高性能光学薄膜器件及应用专业技术服务平台
⁶ Department of Electrical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
中国 香港 香港城市大学 电机工程系
⁷ Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou 325001, China
中国 温州 中国科学院大学温州研究院
⁸ Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
中国 深圳 清华大学深圳国际研究生院
⁹ Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117583, Singapore
Opto-Electronic Science, 2025-11-25
Abstract
In recent decades, optical micro/nano manipulation has made remarkable strides in the fields of biology and the physical sciences, benefiting from both theoretical and experimental advances in optical forces. The emergence of optical torques has further enhanced the capabilities and possibilities of optical micro/nano manipulation, opening the door to exciting new applications.
In this review, we delve into the fundamentals and recent breakthroughs in the realm of optical micro/nano manipulation using optical torques. We introduce the advancements in optical manipulation based on optical torques from engineered light fields and objects, and highlight the latest developments in applying optical torques to cutting-edge physical and biological scenarios, with a special emphasis on the detection and manipulation of biological structures.
Finally, we conclude by outlining our vision for the current and future directions of this field, including the integration of optical torque and micro/nano technologies, the utilization of special light fields, and the development of deep-learning-assisted optical torque design.
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