Towards Holonomic Control of Janus Particles in Optomagnetic Traps

A novel dot Janus particle is presented, which is compatible with optical traps and magnetic fields, allowing for direct control over five of the particle's degrees of freedom. With an additional constraint of the final sixth degree of freedom, this system represents the highest control ever achieved over freely suspended colloids, opening up the possibility for novel applications in intermolecular force measurement, microfluidics, and self-assembly.