Enabling accurate photodiode detection of multiple optical traps by spatial filtering

Abstract

Dual and multiple beam optical tweezers allow for advanced trapping geometries beyond single traps, however, these increased manipulation capabilities, usually complicate the detection of position and force. The accuracy of position and force measurements is often compromised by crosstalk between the detected signals, this crosstalk leading to a systematic error on the measured forces and distances. In dual-beam optical trapping setups, the two traps are typically orthogonal polarized and crosstalk can be minimized by inserting polarization optics in front of the detector, however, this method is not perfect because of the de-polarization of the trapping beam introduced by the required high numerical aperture optics. Moreover, the restriction to two orthogonal polarisation states limits the number of detectable traps to two. Here, we present an easy-to-implement simple method to efficiently eliminate cross-talk in dual beam setups.1 The technique is based on spatial filtering and is highly compatible with standard back-focal-plane photodiode based detection. The reported method significantly improves the accuracy of force-distance measurements, e.g., of single molecules, hence providing much more scientific value for the experimental efforts. Furthermore, it opens the possibility for fast and simultaneous photodiode based detection of multiple holographically generated optical traps.