Using optical tweezers for the surface detection of transparent objects: An indirect optical geometry measurement paradigm

While indirect optical geometry measurements do not rely on the optical characteristics of the target’s surface, they depend on the presence of the fluorescent particles in the surrounding medium. In order to overcome uncertainty limits due to the random particle distribution, a well-controlled single particle is applied using an optical tweezer. As a result, the surface of a transparent object is detected via a trapped silica particle to pave the way for more precise indirect optical geometry measurements and to make measurable what is difficult to measure with state-of-the-art direct optical principles.