Electrodynamic Manipulator for Commercial Fluorescence Microscope

We have developed a simple electrodynamic manipulator extension for a commercial fluorescence microscope. This extension allows single charged nano- and microparticles to levitate being isolated in space. The proposed electrodynamic manipulator is based on the linear quadrupole Paul trap. We measured the luminescence spectrum of a single microparticle filled with semiconductor quantum dots to demonstrate the operation process of the electrodynamic manipulator. This paper reveals the manipulator design features and restrictions are imposed by microscopic equipment; the issues of optical spectra recording are also discussed. The electrodynamic manipulator is a cheap and robust tool that can be compatible with any commercial microscopes, and can be easily adapted and modified for various investigation needs.