In-depth trapping and fluorescence excitation of microscopic objects using single optical fiber tweezers

ORAL

Abstract

Fluorescence analysis of microscopic objects in suspension is of considerable interest. However, imaging and spectroscopy of motile samples in suspension requires immobilization of the sample, thereby perturbing the sample conformation. Though optical tweezers can hold microscopic samples without any physical contact, it has very short working distance, thus limiting its applicability to large depths. We report on trapping of microscopic objects at depths of few cm using single fiber optical tweezers developed by use of a microfabricated fiber tip and cw green laser beam. The micro-axicon tip was fabricated by chemical etching of single mode as well as multimode fiber. The fiber tweezers beam can simultaneously excite the trapped objects to emit fluorescence. While single mode fiber tweezers provided better trapping stability, the multi mode fiber tweezers is found to be more robust. Fluorescence imaging of trapped object inside a cuvette at depths of few cm was carried out using a side-viewing long-working distance microscope objective. A 2x2 fiber optic splitter allowed coupling of the single mode fiber tweezers beam onto one of the input arms and the fluorescence being collected by the other arm. The use of optical trapping using single fiber optical tweezers and fluorescence excitation, together will pave the way for analysis of suspended samples at large depths.

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Authors

  • Andrey Chabanov

    West Texas A\&M University, Rhodes College, Texas Woman's University, University of Texas at San Antonio, Texas A\&M University, Department of Physics, University of Texas at Arlington, Texas State University, Pajarito Scientific Corporation, Idaho National Laboratory, Duke University, UNC, Department of Chemistry, UTSA, Department of Physics and Astronomy, UTSA, The University of Texas at San Antonio, Harvar-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, University of New Mexico, Maria Mitchel Observatory, NRAO, University of Alabama, Trinity University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78249, V. Alecsandri College, Bacau, Romania, University of Texas at Dallas, Argonne National Laboratory, Western Michigan University, Institute of Physics, UNAM, Mexico, University of North Texas - Chemistry, University of St. Thomas, SwRI San Antonio, Alan G. MacDiarmid NanoTech Institute, University of Texas at Dallas, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Department of Physics, University of Texas at Brownsville, SciPrint.org, The University of Texas at Austin, Georgia Tech, MIT, University of Tennessee, University of Michigan, ORNL, Texas A&M University-Commerce, University of Texas San Antonio, University of Texas at Brownsville, University of Dallas, Sternberg Astronomical Institute, SwRI, CU-Boulder, SwRI/UTSA, Southwest Research Institute, JILA, University of Colorado, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, Stephen F. Austin State University, Angelo State University, St. Mary's University, Physics Department, University of South Florida, CINVESTAV, Queretaro, Mexico, Department of Physics, UCSD, LANSCE, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A\&M University, Texas A\&M University: Department of Physics, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX, Paschal High School, Fort Worth, TX, Tarleton State University, Stephenville, TX, Paine College, Augusta, GA, University of Houston, University of Texas at Arlington, IREAP, Department of Physics, University of Maryland, Air Force Research Laboratory, Institute for Quantum Studies and Department of Physics, Texas A\&M Universtity, College Station, Texas 77843, USA, Max-Planck Institut for Kernphysik, Saupfercheckweg 1,D-69117 Heidelberg, Germany, The National Center for Mathematics and Physics, P.O. Box 6086, KACST, Riyadh 11442, Saudi Arabia

  • Andrey Chabanov

    West Texas A\&M University, Rhodes College, Texas Woman's University, University of Texas at San Antonio, Texas A\&M University, Department of Physics, University of Texas at Arlington, Texas State University, Pajarito Scientific Corporation, Idaho National Laboratory, Duke University, UNC, Department of Chemistry, UTSA, Department of Physics and Astronomy, UTSA, The University of Texas at San Antonio, Harvar-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, University of New Mexico, Maria Mitchel Observatory, NRAO, University of Alabama, Trinity University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78249, V. Alecsandri College, Bacau, Romania, University of Texas at Dallas, Argonne National Laboratory, Western Michigan University, Institute of Physics, UNAM, Mexico, University of North Texas - Chemistry, University of St. Thomas, SwRI San Antonio, Alan G. MacDiarmid NanoTech Institute, University of Texas at Dallas, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Department of Physics, University of Texas at Brownsville, SciPrint.org, The University of Texas at Austin, Georgia Tech, MIT, University of Tennessee, University of Michigan, ORNL, Texas A&M University-Commerce, University of Texas San Antonio, University of Texas at Brownsville, University of Dallas, Sternberg Astronomical Institute, SwRI, CU-Boulder, SwRI/UTSA, Southwest Research Institute, JILA, University of Colorado, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, Stephen F. Austin State University, Angelo State University, St. Mary's University, Physics Department, University of South Florida, CINVESTAV, Queretaro, Mexico, Department of Physics, UCSD, LANSCE, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A\&M University, Texas A\&M University: Department of Physics, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX, Paschal High School, Fort Worth, TX, Tarleton State University, Stephenville, TX, Paine College, Augusta, GA, University of Houston, University of Texas at Arlington, IREAP, Department of Physics, University of Maryland, Air Force Research Laboratory, Institute for Quantum Studies and Department of Physics, Texas A\&M Universtity, College Station, Texas 77843, USA, Max-Planck Institut for Kernphysik, Saupfercheckweg 1,D-69117 Heidelberg, Germany, The National Center for Mathematics and Physics, P.O. Box 6086, KACST, Riyadh 11442, Saudi Arabia

  • Andrey Chabanov

    West Texas A\&M University, Rhodes College, Texas Woman's University, University of Texas at San Antonio, Texas A\&M University, Department of Physics, University of Texas at Arlington, Texas State University, Pajarito Scientific Corporation, Idaho National Laboratory, Duke University, UNC, Department of Chemistry, UTSA, Department of Physics and Astronomy, UTSA, The University of Texas at San Antonio, Harvar-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, University of New Mexico, Maria Mitchel Observatory, NRAO, University of Alabama, Trinity University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78249, V. Alecsandri College, Bacau, Romania, University of Texas at Dallas, Argonne National Laboratory, Western Michigan University, Institute of Physics, UNAM, Mexico, University of North Texas - Chemistry, University of St. Thomas, SwRI San Antonio, Alan G. MacDiarmid NanoTech Institute, University of Texas at Dallas, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Department of Physics, University of Texas at Brownsville, SciPrint.org, The University of Texas at Austin, Georgia Tech, MIT, University of Tennessee, University of Michigan, ORNL, Texas A&M University-Commerce, University of Texas San Antonio, University of Texas at Brownsville, University of Dallas, Sternberg Astronomical Institute, SwRI, CU-Boulder, SwRI/UTSA, Southwest Research Institute, JILA, University of Colorado, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, Stephen F. Austin State University, Angelo State University, St. Mary's University, Physics Department, University of South Florida, CINVESTAV, Queretaro, Mexico, Department of Physics, UCSD, LANSCE, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A\&M University, Texas A\&M University: Department of Physics, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX, Paschal High School, Fort Worth, TX, Tarleton State University, Stephenville, TX, Paine College, Augusta, GA, University of Houston, University of Texas at Arlington, IREAP, Department of Physics, University of Maryland, Air Force Research Laboratory, Institute for Quantum Studies and Department of Physics, Texas A\&M Universtity, College Station, Texas 77843, USA, Max-Planck Institut for Kernphysik, Saupfercheckweg 1,D-69117 Heidelberg, Germany, The National Center for Mathematics and Physics, P.O. Box 6086, KACST, Riyadh 11442, Saudi Arabia

  • Andrey Chabanov

    West Texas A\&M University, Rhodes College, Texas Woman's University, University of Texas at San Antonio, Texas A\&M University, Department of Physics, University of Texas at Arlington, Texas State University, Pajarito Scientific Corporation, Idaho National Laboratory, Duke University, UNC, Department of Chemistry, UTSA, Department of Physics and Astronomy, UTSA, The University of Texas at San Antonio, Harvar-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, University of New Mexico, Maria Mitchel Observatory, NRAO, University of Alabama, Trinity University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78249, V. Alecsandri College, Bacau, Romania, University of Texas at Dallas, Argonne National Laboratory, Western Michigan University, Institute of Physics, UNAM, Mexico, University of North Texas - Chemistry, University of St. Thomas, SwRI San Antonio, Alan G. MacDiarmid NanoTech Institute, University of Texas at Dallas, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Department of Physics, University of Texas at Brownsville, SciPrint.org, The University of Texas at Austin, Georgia Tech, MIT, University of Tennessee, University of Michigan, ORNL, Texas A&M University-Commerce, University of Texas San Antonio, University of Texas at Brownsville, University of Dallas, Sternberg Astronomical Institute, SwRI, CU-Boulder, SwRI/UTSA, Southwest Research Institute, JILA, University of Colorado, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, Stephen F. Austin State University, Angelo State University, St. Mary's University, Physics Department, University of South Florida, CINVESTAV, Queretaro, Mexico, Department of Physics, UCSD, LANSCE, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A\&M University, Texas A\&M University: Department of Physics, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX, Paschal High School, Fort Worth, TX, Tarleton State University, Stephenville, TX, Paine College, Augusta, GA, University of Houston, University of Texas at Arlington, IREAP, Department of Physics, University of Maryland, Air Force Research Laboratory, Institute for Quantum Studies and Department of Physics, Texas A\&M Universtity, College Station, Texas 77843, USA, Max-Planck Institut for Kernphysik, Saupfercheckweg 1,D-69117 Heidelberg, Germany, The National Center for Mathematics and Physics, P.O. Box 6086, KACST, Riyadh 11442, Saudi Arabia