Single-cell biomagnifier for optical nanoscopes and nanotweezers.

ABSTRACT: Optical microscopes and optical tweezers, which were invented to image and manipulate microscale objects, have revolutionized cellular and molecular biology. However, the optical resolution is hampered by the diffraction limit; thus, optical microscopes and optical tweezers cannot be directly used to image and manipulate nano-objects. The emerging plasmonic/photonic nanoscopes and nanotweezers can achieve nanometer resolution, but the high-index material structures will easily cause mechanical and photothermal damage to biospecimens. Here, we demonstrate subdiffraction-limit imaging and manipulation of nano-objects by a noninvasive device that was constructed by trapping a cell on a fiber tip. The trapped cell, acting as a biomagnifier, could magnify nanostructures with a resolution of 100?nm (?/5.5) under white-light microscopy. The focus of the biomagnifier formed a nano-optical trap that allowed precise manipulation of an individual nanoparticle with a radius of 50?nm. This biomagnifier provides a high-precision tool for optical imaging, sensing, and assembly of bionanomaterials.

SUBMITTER: Li Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6804537 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature