Linear diode laser bar optical stretchers for cell deformation

Area of Science:

• Biophysics
• Optical manipulation
• Cell mechanics

Background:

• Optical tweezers are crucial for cell mechanics research.
• Diode laser bars offer potential for scalable cell manipulation.
• Understanding laser-cell interactions is key for precise measurements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate diode laser bars for optical stretching and mechanical property measurement of cells.
• To simulate cell deformation under single and dual laser bar configurations.
• To analyze the impact of laser power and configuration on cell behavior.

Main Methods:

• Numerical simulations using the immersed boundary method (IBM).
• Coupling IBM with classic ray optics for force calculations.
• Modeling cells as 3D spherical elastic capsules in a fluid environment.

Main Results:

• A single diode laser bar induces significant cell stretching and translation (< 10 µm/sec at 6.6 mW/µm).
• Dual diode laser bar configurations enable simultaneous stretching and optical trapping.
• Net cell deformation is dependent on total laser power, not its distribution.

Conclusions:

• Diode laser bars are effective tools for optically stretching and manipulating cells.
• Dual laser configurations provide precise control for trapping and stretching.
• Total laser power is the primary determinant of cell deformation in this system.