Editing Tractor beam (section)

===2010s===
A team of scientists at the [[Australian National University]] (ANU) led by Professor Andrei Rode created a device similar to a tractor beam to move small particles 1.5 meters through the air.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Shvedov|first=Vladlen|author2=A. V. Rode |author3=Ya. V. Izdebskaya |author4=A. S. Desyatnikov |author5=W. Z. Krolikowski |author6=Yu.S. Kivshar |name-list-style=amp |title=Giant optical manipulation|journal=Physical Review Letters|date=10 September 2010|volume=105|pmid=20867612|issue=11|page=118103|doi=10.1103/PhysRevLett.105.118103|bibcode=2010PhRvL.105k8103S}}</ref>  Rather than create a new gravitational field, however, the device utilizes a doughnut-shaped [[Laguerre-Gaussian laser beam]], which has a high-intensity ring of light that surrounds a dark core along the beam axis. This method confines particles to the center of the beam using [[photophoresis]], whereby illuminated sections of the particle have a higher temperature and thus impart more momentum to air molecules incident on the surface.  Owing to this method, such a device cannot work in space due to lack of air. Rode states that there are practical applications for the device on Earth, for example, the transportation of microscopic hazardous materials and other microscopic objects.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Smart|first=Ashley|title=Optical manipulation of light – absorbing particles takes to the air|journal=Physics Today|date=November 2010|volume=63|issue=11|pages=13–14|doi=10.1063/1.3518265|bibcode=2010PhT....63k..13S}}</ref><ref name="aussiescientists">{{cite news | last =McDaniel | first =Tracie | title =Aussie Scientists Have New "Pull" as Tractor Beam Goes the Distance | work =[[Daily Tech]] | date =September 9, 2010 | url =http://www.dailytech.com/Aussie+Scientists+Have+New+Pull+as+Tractor+Beam+Goes+the+Distance/article19583.htm | access-date =2010-09-09 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20100913022948/http://www.dailytech.com/Aussie+Scientists+Have+New+Pull+as+Tractor+Beam+Goes+the+Distance/article19583.htm | archive-date =2010-09-13 | url-status =dead }}</ref>

John Sinko and Clifford Schlecht researched a form of reversed-thrust laser propulsion as a macroscopic laser tractor beam.  Intended applications include remotely manipulating space objects at distances up to about 100&nbsp;km,<ref name="Laser Ablation Propulsion Tractor Beam System">{{cite journal | last =Sinko | first =John | title =Laser Ablation Propulsion Tractor Beam System | journal =[[Journal of Propulsion and Power]] |publisher=[[American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics]] | date =September 17, 2010 |volume=26|number=1| pages =189–191 | url =http://pdf.aiaa.org/jaPreview/JPP/2010/PVJA46037.pdf | access-date =2010-09-17 |doi=10.2514/1.46037}}{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> removal of space debris,<ref name="Laser Beams to Clean Up Space Junk">{{cite news | last =Shane | title =Laser Beams to Clean Up Space Junk | work =[[GoArticles.com]] | date =September 17, 2010 | url =http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=3032401 | access-date =2010-09-17 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> and retrieval of adrift astronauts or tools on-orbit.<ref>{{cite web |author=brian wang |url=http://nextbigfuture.com/2011/10/laser-activated-ablation-propulsion.html |title=Laser activated ablation propulsion could rescue astronauts and move space junk |publisher=Nextbigfuture.com |date=17 October 2011 |access-date=17 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130821204329/http://nextbigfuture.com/2011/10/laser-activated-ablation-propulsion.html |archive-date=2013-08-21 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Functioning tractor beams based on [[solenoid]]al modes of light were demonstrated in 2010 by physicists at [[New York University]].<ref name="LeeRoichman2010">{{cite journal|last1=Lee|first1=Sang-Hyuk|last2=Roichman|first2=Yohai|last3=Grier|first3=David G.|title=Optical solenoid beams|journal=Optics Express|volume=18|issue=7|pages=6988–93|date=2010|issn=1094-4087|doi=10.1364/OE.18.006988|pmid=20389718|bibcode=2010OExpr..18.6988L|doi-access=free}}</ref>
The spiraling intensity distribution in these non-diffracting beams tends to trap illuminated objects and thus helps to overcome the radiation pressure that ordinarily would drive them down the optical axis.  
[[Orbital angular momentum of light|Orbital angular momentum]] transferred from the solenoid beam's helical wavefronts then drives the trapped objects upstream along the spiral.  Both Bessel-beam and solenoidal tractor beams are being considered for applications in space exploration by [[NASA]].<ref>{{cite news | title = Nasa examines 'tractor beams' for sample gathering | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15535115 | date = 1 November 2011 | access-date = 2012-09-21 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130126053916/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15535115 | archive-date = 26 January 2013 | url-status = live }}</ref>

In March 2011, Chinese scientists{{specify|date=July 2024}} posited that a specific type of [[Bessel beam]] (a special kind of laser that does not diffract at the center) is capable of creating a pull-like effect on a given microscopic particle, forcing it toward the beam-source.<ref>{{cite magazine | author = Chris Gayomali | title = Tractor Beam Lasers? Possible, Say Scientists | date = March 3, 2011 | url = https://techland.time.com/2011/03/03/science-tractor-beam-lasers-are-possible/ | magazine = Time | access-date = 2011-03-04 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110306095050/http://techland.time.com/2011/03/03/science-tractor-beam-lasers-are-possible/ | archive-date = March 6, 2011 | url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = How To Turn A Laser Into A Tractor Beam | date = 28 February 2011 | publisher = MIT | url = http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/arxiv/26448/ | work = The Physics arXiv Blog | access-date = 2011-03-04}}</ref> The underlying physics is the maximization of forward scattering via interference of the radiation multipoles. They show explicitly that the necessary condition to realize a negative (pulling) optical force is the simultaneous excitation of multipoles in the particle. If the total photon momentum projection along the propagation direction is small, attractive optical force is possible.<ref>{{Cite journal| title = Backward Pulling Force from a Forward Propagating Beam   | journal = Nature Photonics | volume = 5 | issue = 9 | pages = 531 | date = 24 February 2011 | author1 = Jun Chen | author2 = Jack Ng | author3 = Zhifang Lin | author4 = C. T. Chan  | arxiv= 1102.4905 | doi = 10.1038/nphoton.2011.153 | bibcode = 2011NaPho...5..531C }}</ref> The Chinese scientists suggest this possibility may be implemented for optical micromanipulation.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

In 2013, scientists at the Institute of Scientific Instruments (ISI) and the [[University of St Andrews]] created a tractor beam that pulls objects on a microscopic level.<ref>{{cite news | title=Star-Trek style tractor beam created by scientists | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-21187598 | date=25 January 2013 | access-date=20 June 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180820231155/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-21187598 | archive-date=20 August 2018 | url-status=live }}</ref> The study states that this technique may have potential for bio-medical research. 
Professor Zemanek said: "The whole team have spent a number of years investigating various configurations of particles delivery by light."{{cite quotation|date=July 2024}}
Dr. Brzobohaty said: "These methods are opening new opportunities for fundamental photonics as well as applications for life-sciences."{{cite quotation|date=July 2024}}
Dr Cizmar said: "Because of the similarities between optical and acoustic particle manipulation we anticipate that this concept will inspire exciting future studies in areas outside the field of photonics."{{cite quotation|date=July 2024}}

Physicists from ANU built a reversible tractor beam, capable of transporting particles "one fifth of a millimetre in diameter a distance of up to 20 centimetres, around 100 times further than previous experiments."  According to Professor Wieslaw Krolikowski, of the Research School of Physics and Engineering, "demonstration of a large scale laser beam like this is a kind of holy grail for laser physicists."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.anu.edu.au/news/all-news/physicists-build-reversible-tractor-beam|title=Physicists build reversible tractor beam|date=6 November 2014|access-date=30 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160707034910/http://www.anu.edu.au/news/all-news/physicists-build-reversible-tractor-beam|archive-date=7 July 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>  The work was published in [[Nature (journal)|''Nature'']] in 2014.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.nature.com/nphoton/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nphoton.2014.242.html|title=A long-range polarization-controlled optical tractor beam|first1=Vladlen|last1=Shvedov|first2=Arthur R.|last2=Davoyan|first3=Cyril|last3=Hnatovsky|first4=Nader|last4=Engheta|first5=Wieslaw|last5=Krolikowski|date=1 November 2014|journal=Nat Photonics|volume=8|issue=11|pages=846–850|via=www.nature.com|doi=10.1038/nphoton.2014.242|bibcode=2014NaPho...8..846S|hdl=1885/28791|s2cid=119769885 |hdl-access=free}}</ref> In the same year, Dr. Horst Punzmann and his team at ANU developed a tractor beam that works on water, which could potentially be used to contain oil spills, control floating objects, or study the formation of rips on beaches.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Punzmann |first1=Horst |last2=Francois |first2=Nicolas |last3=Xia |first3=Hua |last4=Falkovich |first4=Gregory |last5=Shats |first5=Michael |date=2014 |title=Generation and reversal of surface flows by propagating waves |url=http://www.nature.com/articles/nphys3041 |journal=Nature Physics |language=en |volume=10 |issue=9 |pages=658–663 |doi=10.1038/nphys3041 |bibcode=2014NatPh..10..658P |s2cid=41538433 |issn=1745-2473|hdl=1885/18240 |hdl-access=free }}</ref>

In 2015, a team of researchers built the world's first sonic tractor beam that can lift and move objects using sound waves.<ref>[http://phys.org/news/2015-10-sonic-tractor-video.html#jCp Sonic tractor beam invented (w/ Video)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151113035144/http://phys.org/news/2015-10-sonic-tractor-video.html#jCp |date=2015-11-13 }} published by [[Phys.org]] on October 27, 2015 (DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9661)</ref> An ''[[Instructables]]'' webpage was made available with instructions to build a rudimentary device.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.instructables.com/id/Acoustic-Tractor-Beam/|title=Acoustic Tractor Beam|newspaper=Instructables.com|language=en|access-date=2017-01-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170109063314/http://www.instructables.com/id/Acoustic-Tractor-Beam/|archive-date=2017-01-09|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2016, [[Rice University]] scientists discovered that [[Tesla coils]] can generate [[Force field (technology)|force fields]] able to manipulate matter through a process called teslaphoresis.<ref>{{Cite journal | author1 = Lindsey R. Bornhoeft | author2 = Aida C. Castillo | author3 = Preston R. Smalley | author4 = Carter Kittrell | author5 = Dustin K. James | author6 = Bruce E. Brinson | author7 = Thomas R. Rybolt | author8 = Bruce R. Johnson | author9 = Tonya K. Cherukuri | author10 = Paul Cherukuri | title = Teslaphoresis of Carbon Nanotubes | doi = 10.1021/acsnano.6b02313 | journal = ACS Nano | year = 2016 | volume = 10 | issue = 4 | pages = 4873–4881 | doi-access = free| pmid = 27074626 }}</ref>

In December 2016, researchers were able to manipulate the movement of bacterial cells using a tractor beam, thereby opening the possibility that tractor beams could have future applications in biological sciences.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Diekmann |first1=Robin |last2=Wolfson |first2=Deanna |last3=Spahn |first3=Christoph |last4=Heilemann |first4=Mike |last5=Schüttpelz |first5=Mark |last6=Huser |first6=Thomas |title=Nanoscopy of bacterial cells immobilized by holographic optical tweezers |journal=Nature Communications |date=13 December 2016 |volume=7 |issue=13711 |page=13711 |doi=10.1038/ncomms13711 |pmid=27958271 |pmc=5159804 |bibcode=2016NatCo...713711D }}</ref>

In 2018, a research team from Tel-Aviv University, led by Dr. Alon Bahabad, experimentally demonstrated an optical analog of the [[Archimedes' screw]] where the rotation of a helical-intensity [[laser]] beam is transferred to the axial motion of optically trapped micrometer-scale, airborne, carbon-based particles. With this optical screw, particles were easily conveyed with controlled velocity and direction, upstream or downstream of the optical flow, over half a centimeter.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Hadad|first1=Barak|last2=Froim|first2=Sahar|last3=Nagar|first3=Harel|last4=Admon|first4=Tamir|last5=Eliezer|first5=Yaniv|last6=Roichman|first6=Yael|last7=Bahabad|first7=Alon|title=Particle trapping and conveying using an optical Archimedes' screw|journal=Optica|date=2 May 2018|volume=5|issue=5|pages=551–556|doi=10.1364/OPTICA.5.000551|language=EN|issn=2334-2536|arxiv=1706.10122|bibcode=2018Optic...5..551H |s2cid=19488845}}</ref>

In 2019, researchers at the University of Washington used a tractor beam to assemble nanoscale materials in a process they describe as "photonic nanosoldering".<ref>{{cite web |title=Light based 'Tractor Beam' assembles materials at the nanoscale |url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/11/191104130450.htm |publisher=Science Daily |access-date=1 February 2023}}</ref>