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• Optimal Modulation Frequency

Lang and coworkers first had to find the right frequency at which they could operate their trapping laser. They conducted various experiments where they placed a bead in the optical trap. They measured the bead's displacement from the center of the trap as a function of time at various laser frequencies.

• Fluorophore Longevity

The next step in their project was to determine the effects that their trapping laser would have on the dye Cy3. Preliminary experiments tested various other dyes by first exposing them to fluorescence excitation lasers and then to a trapping laser. The common observation was that the dye in question would decay gradually under exposure to the excitation laser and then would decay very rapidly (photobleach) when it was exposed to the trapping laser.

• Combined Measurement

The final step was to show that one can actually make a fluorescence and optical trap force measurement simultaneously.