Figure 16.4 — Fibre tweezers integrated into microfluidic devices Figure 16.4 — Fibre tweezers integrated into microfluidic devices. (a) Rendering of a monolithic optical stretcher fabricated by femtosecond laser micromachining: the cells flow in the capillary tubes of the microfluidic circuit and are trapped and stretched in the spot of the dual-beam fibre trap created by the optical waveguides. (b) Picture showing a monolithic optical stretcher. (c) SEM image of the end face of a fibre-tweezers. The prisms completely cover the fibres’ core and are used to reflect light to the trapping spot on the axis of the bundle of fibres. (d) A red blood cell is trapped in hypotonic solution by a fibre-tweezers.Figure (a) is reprinted from Bellini et al., Opt. Express 18, 4679–88. Copyright (2010) The Optical Society.Figure (b) is reprinted from Bellini et al., Biomed. Opt. Express 3, 2658–68. Copyright (2012) The Optical Society.Figures (c) and (d) are reprinted by permission from Macmillan Publishers Ltd: Liberale et al., Sci. Rep. 3, 1258, copyright 2013.