Optical Manipulation of Inorganic and Organic Objects in Soft Microfluidic Devices

摘要

We describe a technique for trapping and manipulation of inorganic and organic objects in microfluidic channels, based on photonic momentum transfer using an optical tweezers arrangement. Microfluidic devices have been fabricated by polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer molding of patterns lithographically defined on a thick negative photoresist. Polystyrene microspheres dispersed in water were transferred into the fluidic channels using a syringe pump. Mierosphercs and live biological cells arc trapped and redirected by optical manipulation within the fluidic channels. Optical trapping and patterning will have applications in creation of active cellular arrays for cell biology research, tissue engineering, cell sorting and drug discovery.