Linear diode laser bar optical stretchers for cell deformation

To investigate the use of linear diode laser bars to optically stretch cells and measure their mechanical properties, we present numerical simulations using the immersed boundary method (IBM) coupled with classic ray optics. Cells are considered as three-dimensional (3D) spherical elastic capsules immersed in a fluid subjected to both optical and hydrodynamic forces in a periodic domain. We simulate cell deformation induced by both single and dual diode laser bar configurations and show that a single diode laser bar induces significant stretching but also induces cell translation of speed < 10 µm/sec for applied 6.6 mW/µm power in unconfined systems. The dual diode laser bar configuration, however, can be used to both stretch and optically trap cells at a fixed position. The net cell deformation was found to be a function of the total laser power and not the power distribution between single or dual diode laser bar configurations.