Optical fiber tips for biological applications: From light confinement, biosensing to bioparticles manipulation

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Optical Physics
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Optical fiber tips offer unique properties for biological applications through machining and functionalization.
• Scanning Near-field Optical Microscopy (SNOM) advanced fiber tip microfabrication for sub-diffraction limit light confinement.
• The 'Lab On Tip' concept enables applications in imaging, biosensing, and optical manipulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review achievements, studies, and limitations of fiber tip-based configurations in biology over the past 10 years.
• To highlight the broad impact of fiber tips in microscopy, biosensing, and optical fiber tweezers (OFTs).

Main Methods:

• Review of literature on fiber tip microfabrication and applications.
• Analysis of advancements in Scanning Near-field Optical Microscopy (SNOM) and Optical Fiber Tweezers (OFTs).
• Synthesis of key findings in imaging, biosensing, and micromanipulation.

Main Results:

• Fiber tips are crucial for SNOM, enabling light confinement beyond the diffraction limit.
• Applications include high-resolution imaging, sensitive biosensing, and precise manipulation of microparticles.
• Optical Fiber Tweezers (OFTs) demonstrate potential for studying biomolecules and protein aggregates.

Conclusions:

• Fiber tips play key roles in biology and medicine, despite current limitations.
• Future applications include studying neurodegeneration and manipulating cellular components for disease research.
• This review provides a broad overview of fiber tip applications in life sciences.