Yogesha | Searcharxiv

arXiv2011

Precise characterization of micro rotors in optical tweezers

We present an optical tweezer based study of rotation of microscopic objects with shape asymmetry. Thermal fluctuations and rotations are simultaneously monitored through laser back scattering. The rotation results in a modulation in intensity of the back scattered light incident on a quadrant photo detector. This results in the manifestation of peaks at a fundamental rotational frequency and at integer harmonics, superimposed on a modified Lorentzian in the power spectrum. The multiple peaks indicate that the rotations are periodic but with varying angular velocity. We demonstrate the use of video microscopy for characterization of low reflectivity rotors, such as biological cells. The methods also enable a measurement of the average torque on the rotor, and in principle, can reveal information about its principal moments of inertia, and the role of hydrodynamics at micron levels

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2011

Microrheology of non mulberry silk varieties by optical tweezer and video microscopy based techniques

We have carried out a comparative study of the microrheological properties of silk fibroin solutions formed from a variety of silks indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. We present the measured viscoelastic moduli of Tasar silk fibroin solution using both a single and dual optical tweezer at 0.16% and 0.25% (w/v). The bandwidth of the measurements carried out using optical tweezers is extended down to the lower frequency regime by a video microscopy measurement. Further, we have measured the viscoelastic moduli of Eri and Muga varieties of silk fibroin solutions at a higher concentration (1.00% w/v) limiting the tool of measurement to video microscopy, as the reduced optical transparencies of these solutions at higher concentration preclude an optical tweezer based investigation. The choice of a higher concentration of fibroin solution of the latter silk varieties is so as to enable a comparison of the shear moduli obtained from optical methods with their corresponding fibre stiffness obtained from wide angle X-ray scattering data. We report a correlation between the microstructure and microrheological parameters of these silk varieties for the concentration of fibroin solutions studied.

cond-mat.soft↗