A microcytology workstation for the examination, analysis, sorting, and physical manipulation of biological cells and cell organelles is currently under development at MISL. The heart of the workstation implements a fiber optic trap which captures dielectric microparticles at the mutual intersection of four optical beams. The optical beams emanate from four terminated optical fibers arranged in an optical "cross-hair".
A 6.2 micron dielectric microparticle trapped at the intersection of the beams. Infrared radiation, 1064 nm, from a diode pumped Nd:YAG laser was used to trap the microparticle.
The same 6.2 micron trapped microparticle . IR filters were removed to visualize the IR radiation. Scattering of the optical radiation obscures direct visualization of the microparticle, but scattering the defines the optical beams emanating from the four fibers (located top, bottom and sides).
The utility of the microcytology workstation is demonstrated by trapping and moving five separate microparticles to the end of one fiber where they are chemically or optically fused together. Although the photo shows five identical microparticles "assembled" at the fiber, any number of different microparticles may be assembled in any given order. Extrapolating to the assembly of biological cells, cellular assembly line or factories are envisioned for the future to manufacture rare or critical bioreagents for medicine and processing.
The Micro Instruments & Systems Laboratory
part of the Laboratory for Surface Science & Technology
A Member of the University of Maine System
