Method and apparatus for optical micro manipulation

摘要

A microscopic specimen such as a cell organelle or a tissue cell generally has a non-rotational symmetrical refractive index distribution. Converging onto the microscopic specimen a laser beam with a non-rotational symmetrical intensity distribution (an elliptical pattern) traps the specimen, with the direction of the major axis of the specimen aligned with the direction of the major axis of the elliptical pattern of the laser beam. This is because the laser beam with the non-rotational symmetrical refractive index distribution has a non-rotational symmetrical trapping force, and hence can trap the specimen with non-rotational symmetrical refractive index distribution in a dynamically reliable manner. Thus, rotation of the major axis of the intensity distribution of the laser beam causes rotation of the trapped specimen.