Aberration correction of optical traps

A method and system for correcting aberrations in a beam of light including correcting for effects from an undiffracted portion of an input beam. The method and system includes (1) a component for providing a beam of light; (2) a component for applying a diffraction grating pattern to the beam of light to establish an optical gradient to form an optical trap; (3) component for measuring aberration in the beam of light having the applied diffraction grating pattern; (4) component for calculating a phase-shifting diffraction grating encoding the aberration; and (5) component for projecting the phase-shifting diffraction grating in conjunction with the diffraction grating pattern characteristic of the optical trap. The method and system also includes (1) providing an input beam of light; (2) applying a diffractive grating pattern to the input beam of light to establish a diffracted portion, apart from an undiffracted portion, to form at least one optical trap; (3) operating on both the diffracted portion and the undiffracted portion to bring the light to focus out of the focal plane; and (4) operating on the diffracted portion of the input beam of light (the optical trap) to modify focus of the diffracted portion relative to the undiffracted portion to bring the diffracted portion into focus in the focal plane.