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Real-Time Nanoparticle Characterization Through Optofluidic Force Induction

Marko Šimić, Doris Auer, Christian Neuper, Nikola Šimić, Gerhard Prossliner, Ruth Prassl, Christian Hill, and Ulrich Hohenester
Phys. Rev. Applied 18, 024056 – Published 19 August 2022
Physics logo See Focus story: Optical Vortex Sizes Up Nanoparticles

Abstract

We propose and demonstrate a scheme for optical nanoparticle characterization, optofluidic force induction (OF2i), which achieves real-time optical counting with single-particle sensitivity, high throughput, and for particle sizes ranging from tens of nanometers to several micrometers. The particles to be analyzed flow through a microfluidic channel alongside a weakly focused laser vortex beam, which accomplishes two-dimensional trapping of the particles in the transverse directions and size-dependent velocity changes due to the optical forces in the longitudinal direction. Upon monitoring the trajectories and velocity changes of each individually tracked particle, we obtain detailed information about the number-based particle size distribution. A parameter-free model based on Maxwell’s equations and Mie theory is shown to provide very good agreement with the experimental results for standardized particles of spherical shape. Our results prove that OF2i can provide a flexible work bench for numerous pharmaceutical and technological applications, as well as for medical diagnostics.

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  • Received 25 April 2022
  • Revised 24 June 2022
  • Accepted 27 June 2022

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevApplied.18.024056

© 2022 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Atomic, Molecular & OpticalCondensed Matter, Materials & Applied PhysicsFluid DynamicsPolymers & Soft Matter

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Optical Vortex Sizes Up Nanoparticles

Published 19 August 2022

A novel method for measuring nanoparticle size could have applications in industry and basic materials science research.

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Authors & Affiliations

Marko Šimić1,2,3, Doris Auer1,2, Christian Neuper1,2, Nikola Šimić1,2, Gerhard Prossliner1,2, Ruth Prassl2, Christian Hill1,2,*, and Ulrich Hohenester3,†

  • 1Brave Analytics GmbH, Austria
  • 2Gottfried Schatz Research Center, Division of Biophysics, Medical University of Graz, Neue Stiftingtalstraße 2, Graz 8010, Austria
  • 3Institute of Physics, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 5, Graz 8010, Austria

  • *christian.hill@medunigraz.at
  • ulrich.hohenester@uni-graz.at

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Vol. 18, Iss. 2 — August 2022

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