Thermal gradient induced tweezers for the manipulation of particles and cells

Autor: Jiajie Chen, Hengji Cong, Jacky Loo, Zhiwen Kang, Minghui Tang, Haixi Zhang, Shu-Yuen Wu, Siu-Kai Kong, Ho-Pui Ho
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2016
Předmět:
Zdroj: Scientific Reports, Vol 6, Iss 1, Pp 1-13 (2016)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2045-2322
DOI: 10.1038/srep35814
Popis: Abstract Optical tweezers are a well-established tool for manipulating small objects. However, their integration with microfluidic devices often requires an objective lens. More importantly, trapping of non-transparent or optically sensitive targets is particularly challenging for optical tweezers. Here, for the first time, we present a photon-free trapping technique based on electro-thermally induced forces. We demonstrate that thermal-gradient-induced thermophoresis and thermal convection can lead to trapping of polystyrene spheres and live cells. While the subject of thermophoresis, particularly in the micro- and nano-scale, still remains to be fully explored, our experimental results have provided a reasonable explanation for the trapping effect. The so-called thermal tweezers, which can be readily fabricated by femtosecond laser writing, operate with low input power density and are highly versatile in terms of device configuration, thus rendering high potential for integration with microfluidic devices as well as lab-on-a-chip systems.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals
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