This research aimed to optically trap and manipulate a single calix[4]arene microcluster in water. The optically trapped microclusters were evaluated in terms of their optical stiffness and rotatability with respect to the variation of microclusters' effective radius and laser power density. The calixarene microclusters contained solution was prepared by sonicating a vial containing a mixture of 1.7 mg of calix[4]arene powder in 1 ml of deionised water for three minutes. Calix[4]arene microclusters in the effective radius range between 0.5 and 3.5 μm were optically trapped using a 976 nm laser at laser power densities between 0.67 and 2.30 MW/cm2 with laser sport size 1.1 μm. A quadrant photodiode (QPD) collected the scattered light from a single trapped microcluster. The QPD signal was analysed using a custom-made program named OSCal to determine the corner frequency of the optical trap. A quarter waveplate was introduced to the laser path to change the laser polarisatio.....

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