Optical trapping and propulsion of red blood cells on waveguide surfaces

We have studied optical trapping and propulsion of red blood cells in the evanescent field of optical waveguides. Cell propulsion is found to be highly dependent on the biological medium and serum proteins the cells are submerged in. Waveguides made of tantalum pentoxide are shown to be efficient for cell propulsion. An optical propulsion velocity of up to 6 μm/s on a waveguide with a width of ∼6 μm is reported. Stable optical trapping and propulsion of cells during transverse flow is also reported.