System and method for parallel assembly of arbitrary particle arrays with multiple tweezers

A method of arranging a particle array comprising the steps of:

• providing first and second optical paths from respective light sources to a substrate;
• providing a sensor for imaging the particle array;
• using a first pair of acousto-optic deflectors comprised in the first optical path for deflecting a first light beam for generating static optical tweezers for the particle array on the substrate;
• and
• using a second pair of acousto-optic deflectors comprised in the second optical path for deflecting a second light beam for generating multiple mobile optical tweezers simultaneously for re-arranging particles in the particle array on the substrate.

A method of arranging a particle array comprising the steps of:

• generating static optical tweezers for the particle array such that a target array and a reservoir array are generated on a substrate, wherein the reservoir array surrounds the target array;
• generating multiple mobile optical tweezers simultaneously based on an image of the particle array on the substrate representative of an occupancy matrix of the particle array;
• and
• using the mobile optical tweezers for re-arranging particles in the particle array;
• wherein re-arranging the particles comprises
• a row sorting step for arranging particle rows of the target array;
• and
• a column compression step for arranging particle columns of the target array;
• wherein the row sorting step comprises prioritizing rows that are closest to, or equal to, half-filled.