Sorting colloidal particles into multiple channels with optical forces: prismatic optical fractionation

• US 8,766,169 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2010
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: New York University
• Original Assignee: New York University
• Inventors: Grier, David G., Xiao, Ke
• Primary Examiner(s): Souw, Bernard E
• Application Number:
  US13/518,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20120273664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,288 Days
• Field of Search: 250/222.2, 250/251, 250/526, 250/573, 250/574, 250/576, 356/256, 356/335, 356/345, 356/436, 356/441, 209 1- 4, 209/12.1, 209/13, 209/16, 209/24, 209/26, 209/127.2, 209/132, 209/134, 209/136, 209/143, 209155-157, 210/659, 210/672, 210/767, 210/806
• US Class Current: 250/251
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0668 Trapping microscopic beads
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0877 Flow chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0454 radiation pressure, optical tweezers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502761 specially adapted for handling suspended solids or molecules independently from the bulk fluid flow, e.g. for trapping or sorting beads, for physically stretching molecules investigating characteristics of particles G01N15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1433 using image recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/149 specially adapted for sorting particles, e.g. by their size or optical properties
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1443 Auxiliary imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1454 using phase shift or interference, e.g. for improving contrast

Abstract

A method and system for controlled fractionation of particles. A sample having a plurality of particles of different size distributions. A uniform array for the preparing of optical traps having a selected array lattice constant. The plurality of particles for inputting the plurality of particles to the uniform array of optical traps at a driving direction angle Θ and the plurality of particles separating along different directions Θ_v based on variable particle attributes.

Claims

1. A method for controlled fractionation of particles having particle attributes, comprising:

providing a sample having a plurality of particles;

preparing a uniform array of optical traps having a selected array lattice constant;

inputting the plurality of particles to the uniform array of optical traps at a driving direction angle φ

_τ

; and

separating the plurality of particles along different directions Θ

_v based on selected variable ones of the particle attributes.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the variable ones of the particle attributes include at least one of a first attribute wherein a first particle having the first attribute is undeflected through the array of optical traps and another attribute wherein another particle having the another attribute is deflected along a direction φ

₁, within a range Δ

Θ

v₁.

3. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein the first attribute comprises being of a size too small to be deflected, thereby continuing along the driving direction angle Θ

_v.

4. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein the another attribute comprises being of a larger particle size and deflected along the direction φ

₁ within the range Δ

Θ

v₁.

5. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein the another attribute comprises being of another larger particle size and deflected along a direction φ

₂ within a range Δ

Θ

v₂.

6. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein the another attribute comprises an index of refraction n_p causing deflection along a direction φ

₃ within a range Δ

Θ

v₃.

7. The method as defined in claim 6 wherein the index of refraction consists of a complex index of refraction.

8. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the selected array lattice constant is modified to adjust the direction Θ

_v.

9. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the driving direction angle φ

_τ

is modified to adjust the direction Θ

_v.

10. The method as defined in claim 7 wherein the complex index of refraction comprises,

11. The method as defined in claim 1 further including the step of providing a computer and non-transitory computer readable medium for executing software to control the array of optical traps.

12. A system for controlled fractionation of particles having a plurality of attributes, comprising:

an array of optical traps having a selected array lattice constant, the selected array lattice constant established to deflect the particles in accordance with at least one of the plurality of attributes of the particles.

13. The system as defined in claim 12 further including a computer, embedded computer software and a non-transitory medium for cooperatively performing the step of designing a uniform array of optical traps.

14. The system as defined in claim 12 wherein the lattice array constant includes at least one value.

15. The system as defined in claim 12 wherein the array lattice constant includes at least two different values, one array lattice constant value disposed along one direction of the array and another array lattice constant disposed along a different direction of the array.

16. The system as defined in claim 12 wherein the array of optical traps has a selected effective optical and potential energy character that interacts with a particle index of refraction to thereby cause an associated deflection.

17. The system as defined in claim 12 wherein the array of optical traps has a selected effective optical and potential energy character that interacts with a particle attribute to thereby cause an associated deflection.

18. The system as defined in claim 17 wherein the optical character and potential energy character includes a selected potential energy depth for the optical traps.

19. The system as defined in claim 13 wherein the computer executes the computer software to control the array of optical traps.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions thereon for controlled fractionation of particles having a plurality of attributes wherein the medium and the instructions are accessible by a hardware processing arrangement, wherein, when the hardware processing arrangement executes the instructions, the processing arrangement is configured to generate a hologram to produce an array of optical traps having a selected array lattice constant, the selected lattice constant established to deflect the particles in accordance with at least one of the plurality of attributes of the particles.