Optoelectronic Tweezers Technology for Cell Manipulation and Analysis

As the demand for cell manipulation continues to grow, a variety of advanced, flexible, and high-throughput technologies have been developed. Optoelectronic Tweezers (OET) stand out as a cutting-edge technology that combines optical stimulation with electric field control, utilizing the photoconductive effect of semiconductor materials. By optically modulating the electric field optically, OET allows for the flexible and non-invasive manipulation of micro-objects. This technology offers several key advantages, including programmability, flexibility, multifunctionality, high-throughput capabilities, and easy integration with other characterization system. In recent years, OET has gained significant attention and demonstrated great potential in cell manipulation, sorting, measurement, and analysis. This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the fundamental mechanisms, experimental setups, and applications of OET technology, as well as its commercialization efforts. Finally, it discusses the prospects and challenges of OET technology.