The invention provides a method, apparatus and system for separating blood and other types of cellular components, and can be combined with holographic optical trapping manipulation or other forms of optical tweezing. One of the exemplary methods includes providing a first flow having a plurality of blood components; providing a second flow; contacting the first flow with the second flow to provide a first separation region; and differentially sedimenting a first blood cellular component of the plurality of blood components into the second flow while concurrently maintaining a second blood cellular component of the plurality of blood components in the first flow. The second flow having the first blood cellular component is then differentially removed from the first flow having the second blood cellular component. Holographic optical traps may also be utilized in conjunction with the various flows to move selected components from one flow to another, as part of or in addition to a separation stage.

The invention provides a method, apparatus and system for separating blood and other types of cellular components, and can be combined with holographic optical trapping manipulation or other forms of optical tweezing. One of the exemplary methods includes providing a first flow having a plurality of blood components; providing a second flow; contacting the first flow with the second flow to provide a first separation region; and differentially sedimenting a first blood cellular component of the plurality of blood components into the second flow while concurrently maintaining a second blood cellular component of the plurality of blood components in the first flow. The second flow having the first blood cellular component is then differentially removed from the first flow having the second blood cellular component. Holographic optical traps may also be utilized in conjunction with the various flows to move selected components from one flow to another, as part of or in addition to a separation stage.

A technique to guide a micro- or nano-scale particle uses the wavelengths of light beams to control the direction of motion of the particle. In this technique, an optical asymmetry is introduced into the particle to form a composite particle. The composite particle includes two faces that preferentially absorb light of different wavelengths, independent of the particle orientation. The difference in absorption spectra of the two faces creates a bidirectional and local thermal gradient that is externally switchable by changing the wavelength of the incident light beams. This thermal gradient induces a thermophoretic drift that moves the composite particle. A two-faced nanoparticle can be guided using the optically induced thermophoretic drift as the propulsion mechanism.

A technique to guide a micro- or nano-scale particle uses the wavelengths of light beams to control the direction of motion of the particle. In this technique, an optical asymmetry is introduced into the particle to form a composite particle. The composite particle includes two faces that preferentially absorb light of different wavelengths, independent of the particle orientation. The difference in absorption spectra of the two faces creates a bidirectional and local thermal gradient that is externally switchable by changing the wavelength of the incident light beams. This thermal gradient induces a thermophoretic drift that moves the composite particle. A two-faced nanoparticle can be guided using the optically induced thermophoretic drift as the propulsion mechanism.

A method and apparatus for the manipulation of colloidal particulates and biomolecules at the interface between an insulating electrode such as silicon oxide and an electrolyte solution. Light-controlled electrokinetic assembly of particles near surfaces relies on the combination of three functional elements: the AC electric field-induced assembly of planar aggregates; the patterning of the electrolyte/silicon oxide/silicon interface to exert spatial control over the assembly process; and the real-time control of the assembly process via external illumination. The present invention provides a set of fundamental operations enabling interactive control over the creation and placement of planar arrays of several types of particles and biomolecules and the manipulation of array shape and size. The present invention enables sample preparation and handling for diagnostic assays and biochemical analysis in an array format, and the functional integration of these operations. In addition, the present invention provides a procedure for the creation of material surfaces with desired properties and for the fabrication of surface-mounted optical components.

An atomic object confined in a particular region of an atomic object confinement apparatus is cooled using an S-to-P-to-D EIT cooling operation. A controller associated with the atomic object confinement apparatus controls first and second manipulation sources to respectively provide first and second manipulation signals to the particular region. The first manipulation signal is characterized by a first wavelength corresponding to a transition between an S manifold and a P manifold of a first component of the atomic object and detuned from the S-to-P transition by a first detuning. The second manipulation signal is characterized by a second wavelength corresponding to a transition between the P manifold and a D manifold of the first component and detuned from the P-to-D transition by a second detuning. The first and second detunings selected to establish a dark state associated with a two-photon transition between the S manifold and the D manifold.

An atomic object confined in a particular region of an atomic object confinement apparatus is cooled using an S-to-P-to-D EIT cooling operation. A controller associated with the atomic object confinement apparatus controls first and second manipulation sources to respectively provide first and second manipulation signals to the particular region. The first manipulation signal is characterized by a first wavelength corresponding to a transition between an S manifold and a P manifold of a first component of the atomic object and detuned from the S-to-P transition by a first detuning. The second manipulation signal is characterized by a second wavelength corresponding to a transition between the P manifold and a D manifold of the first component and detuned from the P-to-D transition by a second detuning. The first and second detunings selected to establish a dark state associated with a two-photon transition between the S manifold and the D manifold.