Abstract

Higurashi et al realized the directional rotation of an asymmetrically shaped object using single beam[l], but the rotational direction depended on the asymmetric shape of the object. In this paper, a novel technique to manipulate a biological cell using plural optical fibers was demonstrated and discussed. Yeast cells dispersed in water solution were used as the sample biological objects. Fig. 1 shows the experimental results of the directional manipulation of a yeast cell[2]. The lengths of the major axis and the minor axis of the elliptically shaped yeast cell were ~6µm and 4 µm, respectively. Fig. 1(a) is the case where the lasers introduced to SMFl(left) and SMF2(right) are ON state and OFF state respectively. In this case, the yeast cell was rotated counterclockwise and trapped near the trapping fiber end(SMFl) on condition that the major axis of the yeast cell coincided with the propagating direction of the laser beam from the SMF1. Fig. 1(b) is the case where the lasers introduced to SMF1 and SMF2 is OFF state and ON state, respectively. The same yeast cell shown in Fig. 1(a) was rotated clockwise and trapped near the fiber end of SMF2.

© 2000 IEEE