Optical manipulation – Assembly of functional systems

A prerequisite for an efficient design of large functional systems consisting of micro/nano particles lies in the complete control over the assembly process in all its parameters. A general solution to this problem can be addressed by combining the HOT’s full manipulation in three dimensions of multiple microscopic particles with the required chemistry and environmental conditions. On the one hand, we use adapted chemical surface modifications and subsequent optomechanically-assisted assembly of individual single particles on these functionalized surfaces to actuate bio-hybrid microsystems based on self-propelling bacteria, such as fluid mixers and transport vehicles for nanocontainers [1-4].

It has been shown that when chemical surface modifications are combined with optical manipulation, biohybrid microsystems can be created, such as nanocontainers moved by bacteria [1-4] (Figure a-f).

On the other hand, we employ a versatile assembly method based on the combination of HOT, microfluidics, and colloidal interactions to realize a set of advanced micro-photonics assemblies of different functional building blocks. It represents a simple and robust scheme for the construction of permanent and functional 2D and 3D zeolite L-based microstructures with different geometrical complexity [5]. With this optomechanical approach, we demonstrated reconfigurable optical waveguides based on HOT-assisted zeolite L assemblies in aqueous solutions [6], so as sophisticated arrangement of zeolites L loaded with polarization-sensitive dyes with exciting applications as micro polarization-sensors [7].

[1] Structured attachment of bacterial molecular motors for defined microflow induction M. Woerdemann, F. Hörner, C. Denz Optofluidics, Microfluidics, and Nanofluidics, 1, 2014, 19-26.

[2] Optical assembly of bio-hybrid micro-robots Á. Barroso, S. Landwerth, M. Woerdemann, C. Alpmann, T. Buscher, M. Becker, A. Studer, and C. Denz, Biomedical Microdevices 17, 1-8 (2015), DOI: 10.1007/s10544-015-9933-1.

[3] Synthesis and photo-postmodification of zeolite L based polymer brushes T. Buscher, Á. Barroso, C. Denz, and A. Studer, Polym. Chem., 6, 2015, 4221-4229.

[4] Managing autonomous nanobiorobots by optical micromanipulation A. Barroso, F. Hörner, S. Landwerth, and C. Denz SPIE Newsroom, 2015, DOI:10.1117/2.1201507.006023.

[5] Creating Functional Microstructures with an Optical-Tweezers Assembly-Line M. Woerdemann, M. Veiga-Gutiérrez, L. De Cola, C. Denz, OPN 23, 2012, 47

[6] Nanoassembled dynamic optical waveguides and sensors based on zeolite L nanocontainers Á. Barroso, K. Dieckmann, C. Alpmann, T. Buscher, A. Studer, and C. Denz, Proceedings of SPIE Vol. 9379, 93790U, 2015.

[7] Optical-Tweezers Assembly-Line for the Construction of Complex Functional Zeolite L Structures M. Veiga-Gutiérrez, M. Woerdemann, E. Prasetyanto, C. Denz, L. De Cola Adv. Mater. 24, 2012, 5199–5204.