PURPOSE: To carry out the particle separation and classification easily and surely by basically irradiating scanning light to moving particles such as biological related particles of cells, etc., and industrial particles, etc., and applying a functional force according to the types of the particles.
CONSTITUTION: A linear flow route 2 is formed in the inside of a flow cell 1 and a dispersing medium in which a plurality of types of particles exist is made to flow in the route. Scanning light is so irradiated to the linear flow route 2 as to make the scanning track 3 transversely cross the flow direction of the dispersing medium. Every time the moving particles pass one scanning light beam, the particles receive braking force due to phototraps. At that time, larger braking force works on the particles with larger size or refractive index rather than on particles with smaller size or refractive index. As a result, smaller particles on which smaller braking force works pass the light irradiation positions quicker and thus the particles are classified successively from smaller particles with smaller braking force to larger ones. Consequently, the separation and classification of the particles are carried out easily and surely.
MIYAZAKI TAKESHI
ONISHI TOSHIICHI
ISAKA KAZUO
