A Review on Optoelectronic Tweezers: Manipulation Principle, Optoelectronic Microfluidic Chip Fabrication, System Assembly, and Applications

Optical manipulation technology has made significant progress in micromanipulation technology, which received two Nobel Prizes in Physics in 1997 and 2018. Optoelectronic tweezers (OETs) are an emerging optical micromanipulation technology that utilize light-induced nonuniform electric fields to manipulate objects such as micronanoscale particles and cells. It has shown broad applications in cell analysis, tissue engineering, micro/nanofabrication, micromechanics, and so on. Therefore, this work reviews related knowledge of the OET including basic theory, the fabrication of the OET microfluidic chips, system assembly, and applications. Especially, the fabrication process of a key photoconductive layer of the OET microfluidic chip is summarized. Furthermore, we review cutting-edge chemical medical and micro-/nanofabricated applications and commercial products of the OET in recent years. Finally, this work discusses the key challenges facing the OET and its potential for future intelligent manipulation and multidisciplinary integration. This perspective will provide valuable references for researchers in related fields and inspire more innovative interdisciplinary micromanipulation strategies.