Dielectrophoretic trapping of single sub-micrometre scale bioparticles

Abstract

The stable negative dielectrophoretic trapping of single sub-micrometre bioparticles is demonstrated. Single virus particles, capsids and latex spheres, with diameters in the range 93-250 nm, have been trapped. An estimate for the minimum size of particle that may be stably trapped against Brownian motion is made and the trapping characteristics used to estimate values for the dielectric properties of a virus.