Forces of a single-beam gradient laser trap on a dielectric sphere in the ray optics regime -- Basic laser tweezers -- A simple assay for local heating by optical tweezers -- Reflections of a lucid dreamer: optical trap design considerations -- Laser scissors and tweezers -- optical force microscopy -- Single molecule imaging and nanomanipulation of biomolecules -- Signals and noise in micromechanical measurements -- Cell membrane mechanics -- Application of laser tweezers to studies of the fences and tethers of the membrane skeleton that regulate the movements of plasma membrane proteins -- in vivo manipulation of internal cell organelles -- Optical chopsticks: digital synthesis of multiple optical traps.