Laser Manipulator for Rotating Microscopic Trapped Particles by Using Liquid Crystal Optical Devices.

We propose a laser manipulator for controlling positions and rotation of trapped microscopic particles suspended in water by using a liquid crystal (LC) device. This LC device has unique functions such as an anamorphic lens property, variable-focusing and deflection properties. The trapped slender particle can be aligned along the major axis of the elliptically shaped laser beam spot and the position of the particle can be controlled. Furthermore, the positions of multiple microscopic particles can also be controlled along the interference fringe patterns of a wedge LC cell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]