Controlling negative and positive photothermal migration of centimeter-sized droplets

The photoinduced motion of an oil droplet on an aqueous solution under local irradiation by a green laser is reported. The results showed that a repulsive force is generated on pure water, while an attractive force is observed with an aqueous solution containing a surfactant. The driving force is discussed in terms of a thermal Marangoni effect. The switching on the photothermal effect is interpreted by taking into account the advection caused by the spatial gradient of the surface tension under local heating by a laser. A numerical model revealed that the geometrical profile of the surface tension around the droplet determines the mode of advection around the droplet and causes switching in the direction of migrations.