Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 21, 2026

Direct Imaging of Laser-driven Ultrafast Molecular Rotation
Published on: February 4, 2017
Spontaneous rhythmic motion of a polymer chain in a continuous-wave laser field
Hiroyuki Kitahata1, Hiroyuki Mayama, Kenichi Yoshikawa
1Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, and CREST, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan.
Abstract:
Recently, it has been found that a giant DNA molecule exhibits a repetitive change in conformation between an elongated coil and folded compact states under irradiation by a continuous IR laser. We report here a theoretical model to explain such spontaneous rhythmic motion. The generation of the rhythm can be attributed to the competition between optical attraction in the compact state and the instability of the compact state at the laser focus due to heating. This rhythmic conformational change is discussed in relation to the working mechanism of biological molecular motors.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism
Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Chain Branching
Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview
Ziegler–Natta Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview
Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism
Standing Waves in a Cavity

