Thermal gradient induced tweezers for the manipulation of particles and cells
Abstract Optical tweezers are a well-established tool for manipulating small objects. However, their integration with microfluidic devices often requires an objective lens. More importantly, trapping of non-transparent or optically sensitive targets is particularly challenging for optical tweezers....
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2016-11-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/srep35814 |
| _version_ | 1797636925099606016 |
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| author | Jiajie Chen Hengji Cong Jacky Loo Zhiwen Kang Minghui Tang Haixi Zhang Shu-Yuen Wu Siu-Kai Kong Ho-Pui Ho |
| author_facet | Jiajie Chen Hengji Cong Jacky Loo Zhiwen Kang Minghui Tang Haixi Zhang Shu-Yuen Wu Siu-Kai Kong Ho-Pui Ho |
| author_sort | Jiajie Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Optical tweezers are a well-established tool for manipulating small objects. However, their integration with microfluidic devices often requires an objective lens. More importantly, trapping of non-transparent or optically sensitive targets is particularly challenging for optical tweezers. Here, for the first time, we present a photon-free trapping technique based on electro-thermally induced forces. We demonstrate that thermal-gradient-induced thermophoresis and thermal convection can lead to trapping of polystyrene spheres and live cells. While the subject of thermophoresis, particularly in the micro- and nano-scale, still remains to be fully explored, our experimental results have provided a reasonable explanation for the trapping effect. The so-called thermal tweezers, which can be readily fabricated by femtosecond laser writing, operate with low input power density and are highly versatile in terms of device configuration, thus rendering high potential for integration with microfluidic devices as well as lab-on-a-chip systems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T12:41:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c67a01fe15ea4f9dbac1df84c7ee977f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T12:41:04Z |
| publishDate | 2016-11-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-c67a01fe15ea4f9dbac1df84c7ee977f2023-11-05T12:18:40ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222016-11-016111310.1038/srep35814Thermal gradient induced tweezers for the manipulation of particles and cellsJiajie Chen0Hengji Cong1Jacky Loo2Zhiwen Kang3Minghui Tang4Haixi Zhang5Shu-Yuen Wu6Siu-Kai Kong7Ho-Pui Ho8Department of Electronic Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, ShatinDepartment of Electronic Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, ShatinDepartment of Electronic Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, ShatinDepartment of Electronic Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, ShatinDepartment of Electronic Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, ShatinDepartment of Electronic Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, ShatinDepartment of Electronic Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, ShatinBiochemistry Programme, School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, ShatinDepartment of Electronic Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, ShatinAbstract Optical tweezers are a well-established tool for manipulating small objects. However, their integration with microfluidic devices often requires an objective lens. More importantly, trapping of non-transparent or optically sensitive targets is particularly challenging for optical tweezers. Here, for the first time, we present a photon-free trapping technique based on electro-thermally induced forces. We demonstrate that thermal-gradient-induced thermophoresis and thermal convection can lead to trapping of polystyrene spheres and live cells. While the subject of thermophoresis, particularly in the micro- and nano-scale, still remains to be fully explored, our experimental results have provided a reasonable explanation for the trapping effect. The so-called thermal tweezers, which can be readily fabricated by femtosecond laser writing, operate with low input power density and are highly versatile in terms of device configuration, thus rendering high potential for integration with microfluidic devices as well as lab-on-a-chip systems.https://doi.org/10.1038/srep35814 |
| spellingShingle | Jiajie Chen Hengji Cong Jacky Loo Zhiwen Kang Minghui Tang Haixi Zhang Shu-Yuen Wu Siu-Kai Kong Ho-Pui Ho Thermal gradient induced tweezers for the manipulation of particles and cells Scientific Reports |
| title | Thermal gradient induced tweezers for the manipulation of particles and cells |
| title_full | Thermal gradient induced tweezers for the manipulation of particles and cells |
| title_fullStr | Thermal gradient induced tweezers for the manipulation of particles and cells |
| title_full_unstemmed | Thermal gradient induced tweezers for the manipulation of particles and cells |
| title_short | Thermal gradient induced tweezers for the manipulation of particles and cells |
| title_sort | thermal gradient induced tweezers for the manipulation of particles and cells |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/srep35814 |
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