BaTiO3 microsphere assisted imaging of erythrocytes by light structuring photonic hook

Abstract

The red blood cells, the role of which is difficult to underestimate in life and biology, were usually chosen as a sample for observation in an optical microscope. In this paper, we show that using optical microscopy based on high-index spherical mesoscale particles with a refractive index of 1.9, generating a non-evanescent curved light beam with subwavelength structures -so-called a structure light photonic hook by partial illumination conditions, it is possible to study the transformation dynamics of an erythrocyte into an echinocyte. Examples of images are presented. The findings in this manuscript have promising application prospects in nanomanipulation, biology, and medicine.