"Optical nanofibres and plasmonic nanotweezers for nano-object trapping and manipulation"

Title: "Optical nanofibres and plasmonic nanotweezers for nano-object trapping and manipulation" 

Abstract: To build on our knowledge in the physical and biological sciences it is often required that we subdivide macroscopic phenomena into simpler elements on scales of nanometers. Advances in nanotechnology allow us to do that by giving us a means to transfer the momentum of light, which is confined in nano-devices, to nanoparticles/molecules for direct observation and investigation. Here we present the use of nanofibre and plasmonic tweezer techniques to gently trap and manipulate micron and nanometer sized objects. Applications of such compact devices are used to enhance quantum dot/molecule spectroscopy and high-resolution imaging. These concepts would be an important step towards the fabrication of an optical non-destructive tool for nanoparticle/molecular trapping and detection.