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Abstract
Dielectrophoresis forces employed to manipulate cells have gradually replaced optical and magnetic tweezers because of the low cost and easy fabrication. This article presents a novel fiber-based photoelectric capillary to manipulate biological materials in aqueous solution. The surface of photoelectric capillary was coated with a hydrogenated amorphous silicon thin film. When the normal fiber face was polished to 45° and placed in solution, the light pattern from fiber projected on the amorphous silicon thin film served as a virtual electrode due to refraction. Therefore, the suspended cells were attracted into the tube based on dielectrophoresis forces. The numerical model of the photoelectric capillary was solved by the finite element method. The optical and electrical fields were studied to confirm the structure of the photoelectric capillary. In addition, particle trajectory tracing based on molecular dynamics calculated the motion of cells which experienced positive dielectrophoresis and Stokes' drag forces. The simulation implied that photoelectric capillary is a useful tool to trap biological particles.
Notes
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