A method to switch between optical pulling and pushing forces by altering the shape of Fermi arcs in Weyl systems

Optical forces, which act like an invisible "hand," are capable of precisely controlling tiny particles. Optical tweezers, a well-known tool, use this force to capture and manipulate small objects such as cells, bacteria, and viruses. This effect is based on the transfer of momentum from photons to particles—when light interacts with a particle, it generates enough force to move it. Arthur Ashkin's development of optical tweezers earned him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2018.