Soft matter – from polymers over molecular assemblies up to cells – exhibit unique mechanical properties, as being easily deformable under external forces. When subject to optical forces, they may on the one hand be analyzed in their features as viscoelasticity or scattering. On the other hand, complex light may transfer momentum or orbital angular momentum to soft matter, allowing to arrange, structure, and assemble functional particles. In this keynote, we showcase examples of optical trapping of droplets, viscoelastic complex matter, active swimmers, and cells, and demonstrate the versatile features of interaction of light with soft matter from analysis to control.
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