User:Clarissa Zimmerman

Current Work

• redesign of optical trap

- use cage system for more robust setup 
- integrate visible laser for easier alignment
- compress beam expander and enclose in tube
- use new stages

Completed Tasks

• new stages for the optical traps (motors are too week for current stages)

  --measure step sizes with particle tracking software
  --verify that data is correct

• built new light sources for optical traps and DNA melting lab

• making boxes for new optical traps

• building new optical trap

• 20.309 optical trapping lab

• upgrading Stokes VI

   allow enough time for the transient response before collecting data

• integrating power meter in QPD alignment VI

-combined the two with a 'sequence structure'

• troubleshooting 'wind' trap

 -faulty QPD.  Does not output (0,0) when there is no light.

Future Goals

• Design new instument for boltzman constant lab

- fab new cantilevers
- implement range of cantilever lengths
- calibration done by heating cantilever with laser 
- try various viscosity environment

Possible Projects

• redesign mounting for optical trap's circuit boards
• use PSD instead of QPD and redesign board

clzimmer@mit.edu