Patent ID: 8921765

Claim:
A system for independently holding and manipulating a plurality of microscopic objects and for targeting at least a part of one or more microscopic objects within a trapping volume with electromagnetic radiation, the system comprising: an optical trapping system for holding and manipulating the plurality of microscopic objects comprising: a trapping electromagnetic radiation source for emitting trapping electromagnetic radiation, a secondary spatial electromagnetic radiation modulator for receiving and spatially shaping the trapping electromagnetic radiation so as to generate modulated trapping electromagnetic radiation which may be directed towards the plurality of microscopic objects, an electromagnetic radiation generator, the electromagnetic radiation generator comprising: a targeting electromagnetic radiation source for emitting targeting electromagnetic radiation, and a primary spatial electromagnetic radiation modulator for receiving and spatially shaping the targeting electromagnetic radiation so as to generate modulated targeting electromagnetic radiation directed towards at least a part of the plurality of microscopic objects so as to enable specifically targeting at least a part of the plurality of microscopic objects within the trapping volume, wherein the optical trapping system and the electromagnetic radiation generator are enabled to function independently of each other, and wherein the electromagnetic radiation generator enables independent and simultaneous targeting of at least two spatially different microscopic objects, and wherein the optical trapping system and the electromagnetic radiation generator are spatially separated, and wherein the electromagnetic radiation generator is not able to overcome the forces applied by the optical trapping system so that a microscopic object, which is trapped by the optical trapping system, will remain trapped regardless of the actions of the electromagnetic radiation generator, and wherein the modulated targeting electromagnetic radiation is not able to optically trap the microscopic objects.