Coupled oscillation and spinning of photothermal particles in Marangoni optical traps
Abstract
Oscillators, widely found in nature, form the basis of a wide variety of actuating and signal processing mechanisms. While the ability to mimic arrays of oscillators and control their coupling is a central goal in the field of bioinspired soft materials, this has been difficult to achieve. Using Marangoni forces generated during spatially inhomogeneous illumination of photothermally responsive particles, we demonstrate a scheme for optically trapping arrays of particles at air–water interfaces that can incite a range of oscillatory and spinning behaviors. When multiple objects are arranged in proximity, they exhibit complex, collective behavior emerging from geometry-dependent interparticle coupling. This route to achieving collective motion is expected to open opportunities in the study of active materials.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Apr 26, 2021
- Source ID
- 10.1073/pnas.2024581118
Entities
People
- Hyunki Kim
- Ji-hwan Kang
- Nabila Tanjeem
- Ryan C Hayward
- Subramanian Sundaram
- Todd Emrick
Organizations
- Army Research Office
- Boston University
- California State University
- Harvard University
- National Science Foundation
- University of Colorado
- University of Massachusetts