Development of a heating stage for an optical trapping microscope

Abstract

The Lang Laboratory specializes in the study of biological systems through research using optical tweezers. Currently, experiments involving force and position manipulations of cellular molecules take place at room temperature. Experiments with these molecules have the potential to yield more information about biological systems were these experiments performed at the temperature at which the molecules naturally operate. Since the microscopes in the laboratory are geared with sensitive lasers, mirrors, and detectors that make up the optical traps, a custom designed microscope stage heater is necessary to execute research at body temperature (37°C). A custom temperature controller, equipped with controller unit and slide heating aluminum plates, is built to warm the slide sample to and maintain it at 37°C without interfering with the operation of the specified microscope.