US Patent 8206987 Photo-damage method for sorting particles

A system and method for sorting a mixture of stained particles in a fluid flow path, including stained particles from two distinguishable groups. The system and method can include an electromagnetic radiation source for exciting fluorescence emissions from the stained particles, a photodetector for detecting the fluorescence emissions from the stained particles, a processor for classifying the stained particles; and a photo-damaging laser for damaging selected particles in the flow path.