A calibration method for optical trap force by use of electrokinetic phenomena

An experimental method for calibration of optical trap force upon cells by use of electrokinetic phenomena is demonstrated. An electronkinetic sample chamber system (ESCS) is designed instead of a common sample chamber and a costly automatism stage, thus the experimental setup is simpler and cheaper. Experiments indicate that the range of the trap force measured by this method is piconewton and sub-piconewton, which makes it fit for study on non-damage interaction between light and biological particles with optical tweezers especially. Since this method is relevant to particle electric charge, by applying an alternating electric field, the new method may overcome the problem of correcting drag force and allow us to measure simultaneously optical trap stiffness and particle electric charge.