Different Regimes of Opto-fluidics for Biological Manipulation

Area of Science:

• Microfluidics
• Optics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Metallic structures enable localized fluid heating and microfluidic current generation for particle manipulation.
• Existing methods have limitations in the power and range of micro-scale manipulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a novel bi-metallic substrate for advanced opto-fluidic manipulation.
• To explore multiple regimes of opto-fluidic control via laser power.
• To showcase 3D levitation of micro-objects and a wide dynamic range of mass manipulation.

Main Methods:

• Development of a new bi-metallic substrate.
• Application of external laser power to control microfluidic currents.
• Observation and characterization of particle and cell manipulation across different laser power regimes.

Main Results:

• Identification of distinct opto-fluidic manipulation regimes controlled by laser power.
• Efficient capture and trapping of particles and cells at medium laser power.
• Demonstration of 3D levitation at high laser power.
• Manipulation of objects across eight orders of magnitude in mass (80 fg to 5.4 µg).

Conclusions:

• The bi-metallic substrate significantly enhances micro-scale opto-fluidic manipulation capabilities.
• Laser power offers precise control over manipulation regimes, from trapping to 3D levitation.
• This technology provides an unprecedented dynamic range for manipulating micro- and macro-scale objects.