US Patent 7662731 - Q-dot manipulation in superfluid

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7662731.html

This patent is from Japan Science and Technology Agency and teaches a way to manipulate and sort quantum dots using a system similar to optical tweezers in a superfluid environment and which may be useful to experiments in quantum computing. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method of manipulating a plurality of quantum dots that differ in at least one of size, shape and internal structure in a superfluid helium, said method comprising:

generating a plurality of quantum dots directly in the superfluid helium;

shining light onto said plurality of quantum dots generated in the superfluid helium;

selecting, using said light, specific quantum dots from said plurality of quantum dots, said specific quantum dots being in resonance with said light; and

manipulating, using said light, only said specific quantum dots being in resonance with said light.