Patent ID: 7982194
Filing Date: 2011-07-19
Classification: B82Y,G01J,G01N

Abstract:
1. A system for non-invasively tracking a particle, comprising: a particle-holding device having an x-y position control and a z position control; a particle coupled to the particle-holding device; a first radiation-gathering component positioned to collect radiation from the particle; a beam splitter positioned to split the radiation collected by the first radiation-gathering component and to send the radiation along two distinct paths, a first path and a second path; a second radiation-gathering component within the first path to direct the radiation through an aperture and onto a single-element radiation detector; a first feedback control mechanism providing communication from the single-element detector to the z position control; a third radiation-gathering component within the second path to direct the radiation onto a position-sensitive radiation detector; and a second feedback control mechanism providing communication from the position-sensitive radiation detector to the x-y position control.