Levitodynamics: Levitation and control of microscopic objects in vacuum

To have to hold The ability to control and cool the motion of levitated systems—in some cases down to their motional ground state—and to couple these systems to external forces provides opportunities for fundamental science and technology. Gonzalez-Ballestero et al . provide an overview of the status, challenges, and prospects of levitodynamics, the multidisciplinary research area that focuses on the understanding and control of optical trapping of microparticles and nanoparticles in vacuum, with the goal of eventually using such levitated particles as ultrasensitive probes for sensing applications. —ISO