Building on Arthur Ashkin’s Nobel Prize-winning optical tweezers, which revolutionized biological research through light-based manipulation of microscale matter, we are advancing the next generation of optical manipulation technologies to enable precise control over the motion, interaction, and composition of matter across multiple scales. By harnessing light-induced thermal, chemical, electrical, and acoustic effects, we expand functionality, improve material compatibility, reduce power consumption, and enhance ease of use. These innovations open new frontiers in measurement, manufacturing, active matter systems, and microrobotics.
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Research
We harness dual-faceted optical manipulation—using light to control matter and matter to modulate light—to advance spectroscopy and microscopy with high sensitivity, resolution, and speed. Our microscopy platform integrates optical rotation and machine learning for volumetric imaging and precise organism classification. We develop adhesion frequency assays to quantify dynamic cell–cell interactions and enhance chiroptical spectroscopy for label-free, ultrasensitive enantiodiscrimination. These innovations drive progress in biomedical research, pharmaceutical analysis, space biology, and clinical diagnostics.
By assembling nanostructures into architected materials such as metamaterials, we unlock new ways to manipulate light and explore fundamental light–matter interactions. Drawing inspiration from nature and harnessing artificial intelligence, we design these materials for diverse applications, including optical tweezing, sensing, energy harvesting, thermal management, computing, and communication. Our sustainable light-driven fabrication and advanced measurement techniques enable on-demand production and precise characterization from single nanostructures to large-scale ensembles.