New Insights in Optical Manipulation Techniques: From Fundamental Advances to Biomedical Applications

Dear Colleagues,

The field of optical manipulation has undergone transformative developments since the pioneering work of Prof. Arthur Askin, evolving into a cornerstone technology for precision control of micro- and nano-scale objects. Recent innovations in photonic tools, such as optical fiber tweezers and scanning optical tweezers, have expanded the horizons of optical manipulation, enabling unprecedented capabilities in biophysics, medical engineering, and materials science. This special issue seeks to highlight cutting-edge research and emerging paradigms that redefine the boundaries of light-matter interactions in dynamic and complex environments.

This issue will focus on novel methodologies, theoretical breakthroughs, and interdisciplinary applications of optical manipulation technologies. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Fundamental studies: Theoretical models of optical forces, near-field interactions, and non-equilibrium dynamics in complex media.
• Advanced optical trapping systems: Fiber-based tweezers, holographic optical tweezers, optoelectronic tweezers, optothermal tweezers and adaptive scanning techniques for multi-target manipulation.
• In vivo and intravital optical manipulation: Techniques for manipulating biological cells, organelles, or synthetic fluorescent probes within living organisms, including vascular and neural environments.
• Hybrid optofluidic and optomechanical platforms: Integration of optical forces with microfluidics, acoustics, or magnetic systems for multifunctional manipulation.
• Nanophotonic manipulation: Leveraging metasurfaces, plasmonic structures, evanescent wave and photonic crystals to enhance optical forces at subwavelength scales.
• AI-driven optical manipulation: Machine learning for real-time configuration of optical potential wells and dynamic particle tracking.
• Biomedical applications: Cell sorting, drug delivery, tissue engineering, and minimally invasive surgery enabled by optical manipulation tools.

This special issue aims to bridge the gap between fundamental photonic research and biomedical applications, emphasizing innovations that address current challenges in scalability, precision, and biocompatibility. Contributions from interdisciplinary teams exploring the intersection of optics, biology, and nanotechnology are particularly encouraged. Authors are invited to submit original research articles, reviews, or perspectives that align with the themes above. Submissions will undergo rigorous peer review to ensure the highest scientific quality and relevance.

We look forward to your groundbreaking contributions to this exciting frontier of photonics!

Dr. Xiaoshuai Liu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Photonics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• optical tweezers
• optical fiber tweezers
• optical forces
• optical manipulation in vivo
• biophotonics
• optofluidic manipulation
• nanophotonics