Three-dimensional optofluidic control using reconfigurable thermal barriers

Abstract

Microfuidics allows for the precise control of small sample volumes through spatial confnement and exact routing of fuids. Usually, this is achieved by physical barriers. However, the rigidity of these barriers limits fexibility in certain applications. We introduce an optofuidic approach that leverages structured light and photothermal conversion to create dynamic, reconfgurable fuidic boundaries that can be easily integrated in existing setups. This system enables the controlled manipulation of fuids and particles by generating adjustable three-dimensional thermal landscapes. We demonstrate that our reconfgurable approach replicates the functions of traditional barriers and allows real-time adjustments for tasks such as individual particle steering and size-based sorting in heterogeneous mixtures. These results highlight the potential for adaptive and multifunctional microfuidic systems in applications such as chemical synthesis, lab-on-chip devices and microbiology.