Two dimensional interferometric optical trapping of multiple particles and Escherichia coli bacterial cells using a lensed multicore fiber

Ashleigh L. Barron, Ajoy K. Kar, Thomas J. Aspray, Andrew J. Waddie, Mohammad R. Taghizadeh, and Henry T. Bookey
Two dimensional interferometric trapping of multiple microspheres and Escherichia coli has been demonstrated using a multicore fiber lensed with an electric arc fusion splicer. Light was coupled evenly into all four cores using a diffractive optical element. The visibility of the fringes and also the appearance of the lattice can be altered by rotating a half wave-plate. As a result the particles can be manipulated from one dimensional trapping to two dimensional trapping or a variety of different two dimensional arrangements. The ability to align bacterial populations has potential application for quorum sensing, floc and biofilm and, metabolic co-operation studies.
DOI