Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 February 2011
In this paper, we present object manipulation methodologies in microfluidic devices based on object-photon interactions. Devices were fabricated by polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer molding of channel structures over photolithographically defined patterns using a thick negative photoresist. Inorganic objects including polystyrene spheres and organic objects including live cells were transferred into fluidic channels using a syringe pump. The objects were trapped and manipulated within the fluidic channels using optical tweezers formed by VCSEL arrays, with only a few mW of optical power. We have also shown that it is possible to manipulate multiple objects as a whole assemble by using an optically-trapped particle as a handle, or an “optical handle”. Optical manipulation will have applications in biomedical devices for drug discovery, cytometry and cell biology research.