The trapping of a single 4-cyano-4-pentylbiphenyl (5CB) microdroplet in water using optical tweezers

The study attempts to quantify the optical stiffness of a single 4-Cyano-4-Pentylbiphenyl (5CB) microdroplet trapped in water using optical tweezers. 5CB microdroplets of various sizes were produced by mixing 0.5 µL 5CB solution with 2 mL of deionized water and sonicated for 1 minute. Factors such as 5CB microdroplet size and optical power density used in trapping were considered in this study. The study is significant for future use of 5CB microdroplet as a probe for microactuator and sensing applications.