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Fully angularly resolved 3D microrheology with optical tweezers.

Andrew B Matheson¹, Tania Mendonca², Matthew G Smith³

¹School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Institute of Biological Chemistry, Biophysics and Bioengineering, Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh, UK.

Rheologica Acta

|March 5, 2024

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Microrheology with optical tweezers (MOT) can now accurately measure material properties in any direction. A new method corrects for optical trap anisotropy, significantly reducing errors in viscosity measurements for soft materials.

Keywords:

Computer modeling Microrheology Simulation Viscosity

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Area of Science:

Soft Matter Physics
Materials Science
Biophysics

Background:

Microrheology with optical tweezers (MOT) probes viscoelastic properties at microscopic scales, ideal for complex materials like biological samples.
3D MOT coupled with particle tracking maps spatial and directional variations in material properties.
Optical traps' inherent 3D anisotropy can cause significant overestimation of fluid viscosity in certain directions.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop and validate a new analytical method to overcome the artefact of optical trap anisotropy in 3D MOT.
To enable accurate rheological property measurements in any arbitrary direction, overcoming previous limitations.

Main Methods:

Principal component analysis (PCA) applied to 3D MOT data to characterize trap anisotropy.
Identification of the frequency range where trap anisotropy influences measurements.
Validation using simulated Newtonian fluid data and experimental measurements on water and gelatine solutions.

Main Results:

The new analytical method reduced maximum viscosity error from ~150% to <6% in simulated Newtonian fluid data.
Experimental MOT measurements on water and gelatine solutions confirmed reliable microrheology extraction.
The method allows accurate rheological property determination across a wide frequency range and in any direction.

Conclusions:

A novel analytical approach effectively corrects for optical trap anisotropy in 3D MOT.
This method enables accurate, direction-independent microrheology measurements for soft materials.
The work facilitates fully spatially and angularly resolved 3D mapping of soft material rheological properties.