Ultrasonic manipulation of particles and cell aggregates with simultaneous acoustic visualization

Acoustical tweezers can manipulate inanimate particles as well as living cells in liquid in 2D using surface acoustic waves and in 3D using bulk acoustic waves. Here, we demonstrate a MHz twin-trap device for underwater manipulation of particles and cell aggregates and show that it operates effectively within a Petri dish and a plastic tube. We also describe a method to visualize in real time the acoustic field using a contained layer of small, high-density particles, which allows the trap to be seen in the same image as the manipulated particle. The device used was made with simple components, integrated onto a printed circuit board, and requires a single electrical channel for excitation. As a result, this device has the potential to be widely implemented in applications such as micro-organism manipulation, in vivo manipulation, and drug delivery.