A method of excitation microscopy, in particular STimulated Emission Depletion (STED) microscopy, comprising: providing a sample; trapping an object (105; 105R, 105L) in the sample at a trapping position; positioning a depletion beam at an interaction position in the sample for illumination of a portion of the sample associated with the trapped object (105; 105R, 105L); wherein the method comprises at least one of controlling the depletion beam such that, at least when the depletion beam is positioned at the interaction position, an optical force exerted by the depletion beam on the object (105; 105R, 105L) causes a displacement of the object (105; 105R, 105L) less than the optical resolution of an imaging system for observing a STED fluorescence; and trapping the object (105; 105R, 105L) in the sample at the trapping position by applying a position dependent trapping force (F trap, 1 ; F trap, 2 ) to the object (105; 105R, 105L), and controlling at least one of the depletion beam and the trapping force (F trap, 1 ; F trap, 2 ) on the object (105; 105R, 105L) such that, at least when the depletion beam is positioned at the interaction position, an optical force (F STED ) exerted by the depletion beam on the object (105; 105R, 105L) is less than 5% of the trapping force (F trap, 1 ; F trap, 2 ). providing a sample; trapping an object (105; 105R, 105L) in the sample at a trapping position; positioning a depletion beam at an interaction position in the sample for illumination of a portion of the sample associated with the trapped object (105; 105R, 105L); wherein the method comprises at least one of controlling the depletion beam such that, at least when the depletion beam is positioned at the interaction position, an optical force exerted by the depletion beam on the object (105; 105R, 105L) causes a displacement of the object (105; 105R, 105L) less than the optical resolution of an imaging system for observing a STED fluorescence; and trapping the object (105; 105R, 105L) in the sample at the trapping position by applying a position dependent trapping force (F trap, 1 ; F trap, 2 ) to the object (105; 105R, 105L), and controlling at least one of the depletion beam and the trapping force (F trap, 1 ; F trap, 2 ) on the object (105; 105R, 105L) such that, at least when the depletion beam is positioned at the interaction position, an optical force (F STED ) exerted by the depletion beam on the object (105; 105R, 105L) is less than 5% of the trapping force (F trap, 1 ; F trap, 2 ). controlling the depletion beam such that, at least when the depletion beam is positioned at the interaction position, an optical force exerted by the depletion beam on the object (105; 105R, 105L) causes a displacement of the object (105; 105R, 105L) less than the optical resolution of an imaging system for observing a STED fluorescence; and trapping the object (105; 105R, 105L) in the sample at the trapping position by applying a position dependent trapping force (F trap, 1 ; F trap, 2 ) to the object (105; 105R, 105L), and controlling at least one of the depletion beam and the trapping force (F trap, 1 ; F trap, 2 ) on the object (105; 105R, 105L) such that, at least when the depletion beam is positioned at the interaction position, an optical force (F STED ) exerted by the depletion beam on the object (105; 105R, 105L) is less than 5% of the trapping force (F trap, 1 ; F trap, 2 ). <EOS>