Optical tweezers have become the method of choice in single-molecule manipulation
studies. In this Primer, we first review the physical principles of optical tweezers and the …

Microfabricated integrated circuits revolutionized computation by vastly reducing the space,
labor, and time required for calculations. Microfluidic systems hold similar promise for the …

The atomic force microscope (AFM) is not only a tool to image the topography of solid
surfaces at high resolution. It can also be used to measure force-versus-distance curves …

Single-molecule force spectroscopy has emerged as a powerful tool to investigate the forces
and motions associated with biological molecules and enzymatic activity. The most common …

Single molecules of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) were stretched with force-measuring
laser tweezers. Under a longitudinal stress of∼ 65 piconewtons (pN), dsDNA molecules in …

Many biological tissues, such as wood and bone, are fiber composites with a hierarchical
structure. Their exceptional mechanical properties are believed to be due to a functional …

Single-molecule atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to investigate the mechanical
properties of titin, the giant sarcomeric protein of striated muscle. Individual titin molecules …

A statistical mechanical treatment of the wormlike chain model (WLC) isused to analyze
experiments in which double-stranded DNA, tethered at one end, is stretched by a force …

Soft matter exhibits a multitude of intrinsic physico-chemical attributes. Their mechanical
properties are crucial characteristics to define their performance. In this context, the rigidity of …

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) force-distance curves have become a fundamental tool in
several fields of research, such as surface science, materials engineering, biochemistry and …