Ali Akbar Khorshad, S. Nader S. Reihani, and Mohammad Taghi Tavassoly
Optical tweezers have proven to be indispensable tools for pico-Newton range force spectroscopy. A quadrant photodiode (QPD) positioned at the back focal plane of an optical tweezers’ condenser is commonly used for locating the trapped object. In this Letter, for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, we introduce a moiré pattern-based detection method for optical tweezers. We show, both theoretically and experimentally, that this detection method could provide considerably better position sensitivity compared to the commonly used detection systems. For instance, position sensitivity for a trapped 2.17 μm polystyrene bead is shown to be 71% better than the commonly used QPD-based detection method. Our theoretical and experimental results are in good agreement.
DOI
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
Thermal tuning of spectral emission from optically trapped liquid-crystal droplet resonators
Alexandr Jonáš, Zdeněk Pilát, Jan Ježek, Silvie Bernatová, Tomáš Fořt, Pavel Zemánek, Mehdi Aas, and Alper Kiraz
Surfactant-stabilized emulsion droplets of liquid crystals (LCs) suspended in water and labeled with a fluorescent dye form active, anisotropic optofluidic microresonators. These microresonators can host whispering gallery modes (WGMs), high-quality morphology-dependent optical resonances that are supported due to the contrast of refractive index between the LC droplets and the surrounding aqueous medium. In addition, owing to the refractive index contrast, such LC emulsion droplets can be stably trapped in three dimensions using optical tweezers, enabling long-term investigation of their spectral characteristics. We explore various combinations of fluorescently dyed LC droplets and host liquid-surfactant systems and show that the WGM emission spectra of optical resonators based on optically trapped LC emulsion droplets can be largely and (almost) reversibly tuned by controlled changes of the ambient temperature. Depending on the actual range of temperature modulation and LC phase of the studied droplet, thermally induced effects can either lead to phase transitions in the LC droplets or cause modifications of their refractive index profile without changing their LC phase. Our results indicate feasibility of this approach for creating miniature thermally tunable sources of coherent light that can be manipulated and stabilized by optical forces.
DOI
Surfactant-stabilized emulsion droplets of liquid crystals (LCs) suspended in water and labeled with a fluorescent dye form active, anisotropic optofluidic microresonators. These microresonators can host whispering gallery modes (WGMs), high-quality morphology-dependent optical resonances that are supported due to the contrast of refractive index between the LC droplets and the surrounding aqueous medium. In addition, owing to the refractive index contrast, such LC emulsion droplets can be stably trapped in three dimensions using optical tweezers, enabling long-term investigation of their spectral characteristics. We explore various combinations of fluorescently dyed LC droplets and host liquid-surfactant systems and show that the WGM emission spectra of optical resonators based on optically trapped LC emulsion droplets can be largely and (almost) reversibly tuned by controlled changes of the ambient temperature. Depending on the actual range of temperature modulation and LC phase of the studied droplet, thermally induced effects can either lead to phase transitions in the LC droplets or cause modifications of their refractive index profile without changing their LC phase. Our results indicate feasibility of this approach for creating miniature thermally tunable sources of coherent light that can be manipulated and stabilized by optical forces.
DOI
Directional Optical Sorting of Silicon Nanoparticles
Daniil A. Shilkin, Evgeny V. Lyubin, Maxim R. Shcherbakov, Mikhail Lapine, and Andrey A. Fedyanin
Optical manipulation of nanoparticles is a topic of great practical importance, with applications in surface science, colloidal chemistry, microfluidics, biochemistry, and medicine. One of the major highlights of this topic is particle sorting, which serves to create monodisperse systems remotely and to separate particles of different composition and size. Here, we analyze optical forces acting on spherical silicon nanoparticles that exhibit high-quality Mie resonances and demonstrate the potential of optical sorting methods for these systems. In particular, we propose multidirectional static sorting of nanoparticles using noncollinear beams with different wavelengths, which results in all-optical separation into an angular spectrum of sizes. We also validate the proposed methods by considering the operation in the presence of Brownian motion and in the evanescent wave configuration.
DOI
Optical manipulation of nanoparticles is a topic of great practical importance, with applications in surface science, colloidal chemistry, microfluidics, biochemistry, and medicine. One of the major highlights of this topic is particle sorting, which serves to create monodisperse systems remotely and to separate particles of different composition and size. Here, we analyze optical forces acting on spherical silicon nanoparticles that exhibit high-quality Mie resonances and demonstrate the potential of optical sorting methods for these systems. In particular, we propose multidirectional static sorting of nanoparticles using noncollinear beams with different wavelengths, which results in all-optical separation into an angular spectrum of sizes. We also validate the proposed methods by considering the operation in the presence of Brownian motion and in the evanescent wave configuration.
DOI
Experiment study and FEM simulation on erythrocytes under linear stretching of optical micromanipulation
Ying Liu, Huadong Song, Panpan Zhu, Hao Lu, and Qi Tang
The elasticity of erythrocytes is an important criterion to evaluate the quality of blood. This paper presents a novel research on erythrocytes’ elasticity with the application of optical tweezers and the finite element method (FEM) during blood storage. In this work, the erythrocytes with different in vitro times were linearly stretched by trapping force using optical tweezers and the time dependent elasticity of erythrocytes was investigated. The experimental results indicate that the membrane shear moduli of erythrocytes increased with the increasing in vitro time, namely the elasticity was decreasing. Simultaneously, an erythrocyte shell model with two parameters (membrane thickness h and membrane shear modulus H) was built to simulate the linear stretching states of erythrocytes by the FEM, and the simulations conform to the results obtained in the experiment. The evolution process was found that the erythrocytes membrane thicknesses were decreasing. The analysis assumes that the partial proteins and lipid bilayer of erythrocyte membrane were decomposed during the in vitro preservation of blood, which results in thin thickness, weak bending resistance, and losing elasticity of erythrocyte membrane. This study implies that the FEM can be employed to investigate the inward mechanical property changes of erythrocyte in different environments, which also can be a guideline for studying the erythrocyte mechanical state suffered from different diseases.
DOI
The elasticity of erythrocytes is an important criterion to evaluate the quality of blood. This paper presents a novel research on erythrocytes’ elasticity with the application of optical tweezers and the finite element method (FEM) during blood storage. In this work, the erythrocytes with different in vitro times were linearly stretched by trapping force using optical tweezers and the time dependent elasticity of erythrocytes was investigated. The experimental results indicate that the membrane shear moduli of erythrocytes increased with the increasing in vitro time, namely the elasticity was decreasing. Simultaneously, an erythrocyte shell model with two parameters (membrane thickness h and membrane shear modulus H) was built to simulate the linear stretching states of erythrocytes by the FEM, and the simulations conform to the results obtained in the experiment. The evolution process was found that the erythrocytes membrane thicknesses were decreasing. The analysis assumes that the partial proteins and lipid bilayer of erythrocyte membrane were decomposed during the in vitro preservation of blood, which results in thin thickness, weak bending resistance, and losing elasticity of erythrocyte membrane. This study implies that the FEM can be employed to investigate the inward mechanical property changes of erythrocyte in different environments, which also can be a guideline for studying the erythrocyte mechanical state suffered from different diseases.
DOI
Monday, September 4, 2017
Mode conversion enables optical pulling force in photonic crystal waveguides
Tongtong Zhu, Andrey Novitsky, Yongyin Cao, M. R. C. Mahdy, Lin Wang, Fangkui Sun, Zehui Jiang, and Weiqiang Ding
We propose a robust scheme to achieve optical pulling force using the guiding modes supported in a hollow core double-mode photonic crystal waveguide instead of the structured optical beams in free space investigated earlier. The waveguide under consideration supports both the 0th order mode with a larger forward momentum and the 1st order mode with a smaller forward momentum. When the 1st order mode is launched, the scattering by the object inside the waveguide results in the conversion from the 1st order mode to the 0th order mode, thus creating the optical pulling force according to the conservation of linear momentum. We present the quantitative agreement between the results derived from the mode conversion analysis and those from rigorous simulation using the finite-difference in the time-domain numerical method. Importantly, the optical pulling scheme presented here is robust and broadband with naturally occurred lateral equilibriums and has a long manipulation range. Flexibilities of the current configuration make it valuable for the optical force tailoring and optical manipulation operation, especially in microfluidic channel systems.
Investigation on the photophoretic lift force acting upon particles under light irradiation
Shuangling Dong, Yafei Liu
Considering the characteristics of photophoresis in the actual process, the viewpoint that particles in fluids will experience photophoretic lift force is proposed. The force is related to the particle motion with photophoresis but different from the traditional photophoretic force. Analysis shows that there are mainly two factors contributing to the lift force, one stems from the variation in the distribution of light intensity, the other originates from the rotational motion of particles in a direction which is perpendicular to the optical axis. The expression of the photophoretic lift force has been given in the study. The impacts of the force have been analyzed and validated by comparing with previous experimental results.
DOI
Considering the characteristics of photophoresis in the actual process, the viewpoint that particles in fluids will experience photophoretic lift force is proposed. The force is related to the particle motion with photophoresis but different from the traditional photophoretic force. Analysis shows that there are mainly two factors contributing to the lift force, one stems from the variation in the distribution of light intensity, the other originates from the rotational motion of particles in a direction which is perpendicular to the optical axis. The expression of the photophoretic lift force has been given in the study. The impacts of the force have been analyzed and validated by comparing with previous experimental results.
DOI
Single-molecule imaging and manipulation of biomolecular machines and systems
Ryota Iino, Tatsuya Iida, Akihiko Nakamura, Ei-ichiro Saita, Huijuan You, Yasushi Sako
Biological molecular machines support various activities and behaviors of cells, such as energy production, signal transduction, growth, differentiation, and migration.
We provide an overview of single-molecule imaging methods involving both small and large probes used to monitor the dynamic motions of molecular machines in vitro (purified proteins) and in living cells, and single-molecule manipulation methods used to measure the forces, mechanical properties and responses of biomolecules. We also introduce several examples of single-molecule analysis, focusing primarily on motor proteins and signal transduction systems.
Single-molecule analysis is a powerful approach to unveil the operational mechanisms both of individual molecular machines and of systems consisting of many molecular machines.
DOI
Biological molecular machines support various activities and behaviors of cells, such as energy production, signal transduction, growth, differentiation, and migration.
We provide an overview of single-molecule imaging methods involving both small and large probes used to monitor the dynamic motions of molecular machines in vitro (purified proteins) and in living cells, and single-molecule manipulation methods used to measure the forces, mechanical properties and responses of biomolecules. We also introduce several examples of single-molecule analysis, focusing primarily on motor proteins and signal transduction systems.
Single-molecule analysis is a powerful approach to unveil the operational mechanisms both of individual molecular machines and of systems consisting of many molecular machines.
DOI
Exploring the Denatured State Ensemble by Single-Molecule Chemo-Mechanical Unfolding: The Effect of Force, Temperature, and Urea
Emily J.Guinn, SusanMarqusee
While it is widely appreciated that the denatured state of a protein is a heterogeneous conformational ensemble, there is still debate over how this ensemble changes with environmental conditions. Here, we use single-molecule chemo-mechanical unfolding, which combines force and urea using the optical tweezers, together with traditional protein unfolding studies to explore how perturbants commonly used to unfold proteins (urea, force, and temperature) affect the denatured-state ensemble. We compare the urea m-values, which report on the change in solvent accessible surface area for unfolding, to probe the denatured state as a function of force, temperature, and urea. We find that while the urea- and force-induced denatured states expose similar amounts of surface area, the denatured state at high temperature and low urea concentration is more compact. To disentangle these two effects, we use destabilizing mutations that shift the Tm and Cm. We find that the compaction of the denatured state is related to changing temperature as the different variants of acyl-coenzyme A binding protein have similar m-values when they are at the same temperature but different urea concentration. These results have important implications for protein folding and stability under different environmental conditions.
DOI
While it is widely appreciated that the denatured state of a protein is a heterogeneous conformational ensemble, there is still debate over how this ensemble changes with environmental conditions. Here, we use single-molecule chemo-mechanical unfolding, which combines force and urea using the optical tweezers, together with traditional protein unfolding studies to explore how perturbants commonly used to unfold proteins (urea, force, and temperature) affect the denatured-state ensemble. We compare the urea m-values, which report on the change in solvent accessible surface area for unfolding, to probe the denatured state as a function of force, temperature, and urea. We find that while the urea- and force-induced denatured states expose similar amounts of surface area, the denatured state at high temperature and low urea concentration is more compact. To disentangle these two effects, we use destabilizing mutations that shift the Tm and Cm. We find that the compaction of the denatured state is related to changing temperature as the different variants of acyl-coenzyme A binding protein have similar m-values when they are at the same temperature but different urea concentration. These results have important implications for protein folding and stability under different environmental conditions.
DOI
Optical Bessel beam illumination of a subwavelength prolate gold (Au) spheroid coated by a layer of plasmonic material: radiation force, spin and orbital torques
FG Mitri
The optical radiation force, spin and orbital torques exerted on a subwavelength prolate gold spheroid coated by a layer of plasmonic material with negative permittivity and illuminated by either a zeroth-order (non-vortex) or a first-order vector Bessel (vortex) beam are computed in the framework of the electric dipole approximation method. Calculations for the Cartesian components of the optical radiation force on a subwavelength spheroid with arbitrary orientation in space are performed, with emphasis on the order (or topological charge), half-cone angle of the beam, and the plasmonic layer thickness on- and off-resonance. A repulsive (pushing) force is predicted for the layered subwavelength prolate spheroid, on- and off-resonance along the direction of wave propagation. Moreover, the Cartesian components of the spin radiation torque are computed where a negative longitudinal spin torque component can arise, suggesting a rotational twist of the spheroid around its center of mass in either the counter-clockwise or the clockwise (negative) direction of spinning. In addition, the longitudinal component of the orbital radiation torque exhibits sign reversal, indicating a revolution around the beam axis in either the counter-clockwise or the clockwise directions. The results show that the plasmonic resonance strongly alters the force, spin and orbital torque components, causing major amplitude enhancements, signs twists, and complex distributions in the transverse plane.
DOI
The optical radiation force, spin and orbital torques exerted on a subwavelength prolate gold spheroid coated by a layer of plasmonic material with negative permittivity and illuminated by either a zeroth-order (non-vortex) or a first-order vector Bessel (vortex) beam are computed in the framework of the electric dipole approximation method. Calculations for the Cartesian components of the optical radiation force on a subwavelength spheroid with arbitrary orientation in space are performed, with emphasis on the order (or topological charge), half-cone angle of the beam, and the plasmonic layer thickness on- and off-resonance. A repulsive (pushing) force is predicted for the layered subwavelength prolate spheroid, on- and off-resonance along the direction of wave propagation. Moreover, the Cartesian components of the spin radiation torque are computed where a negative longitudinal spin torque component can arise, suggesting a rotational twist of the spheroid around its center of mass in either the counter-clockwise or the clockwise (negative) direction of spinning. In addition, the longitudinal component of the orbital radiation torque exhibits sign reversal, indicating a revolution around the beam axis in either the counter-clockwise or the clockwise directions. The results show that the plasmonic resonance strongly alters the force, spin and orbital torque components, causing major amplitude enhancements, signs twists, and complex distributions in the transverse plane.
DOI
Theoretical estimation of nonlinear optical force on dielectric spherical particles of arbitrary size under femtosecond pulsed excitation
Anita Devi and Arijit K. De
Experimental evidence indicates that high-repetition-rate ultrafast pulsed excitation is more efficient in optical trapping of dielectric nanoparticles as compared with continuous-wave excitation at the same average power. The physics behind the different nature of force under these two excitation conditions remained deceptive until quite recently when it was theoretically explained, in the dipole limit, as a combined effect of (1) repetitive instantaneous momentum transfer and (2) optical Kerr nonlinearity. The role of optical Kerr effect was theoretically studied for larger dielectric spherical particles, in the ray optics limit, also. However, a theoretical underpinning is yet to be established as to whether the effect of optical nonlinearity is omnipresent across different particle sizes, which we investigate here. Using localized approximation of generalized Lorenz-Mie theory, we theoretically analyze the nature of force (and potential) and provide a detailed comparative discussion between this generalized scattering formulation with dipole scattering formulation for dielectric nanoparticles.
DOI
Experimental evidence indicates that high-repetition-rate ultrafast pulsed excitation is more efficient in optical trapping of dielectric nanoparticles as compared with continuous-wave excitation at the same average power. The physics behind the different nature of force under these two excitation conditions remained deceptive until quite recently when it was theoretically explained, in the dipole limit, as a combined effect of (1) repetitive instantaneous momentum transfer and (2) optical Kerr nonlinearity. The role of optical Kerr effect was theoretically studied for larger dielectric spherical particles, in the ray optics limit, also. However, a theoretical underpinning is yet to be established as to whether the effect of optical nonlinearity is omnipresent across different particle sizes, which we investigate here. Using localized approximation of generalized Lorenz-Mie theory, we theoretically analyze the nature of force (and potential) and provide a detailed comparative discussion between this generalized scattering formulation with dipole scattering formulation for dielectric nanoparticles.
DOI
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