Acoustic steering of active spherical carriers

Area of Science:

• Acoustic manipulation
• Robotics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Active carriers offer novel possibilities for contactless handling.
• Acoustic waves are increasingly used for manipulation tasks.
• Piezoelectric materials enable precise control in micro- and nano-scale applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a technique for manipulating internally piezo-equipped active spherical carriers using acoustic waves.
• To explore the generation of acoustic radiation torque through controlled piezoelectric actuation.
• To demonstrate directional control of active carriers via acoustic manipulation.

Main Methods:

• Modeling an active spherical carrier with a bi-sectional piezoelectric component.
• Analyzing the dynamics of the carrier under progressive acoustic plane waves.
• Investigating the effect of phase difference and separator plane position on acoustic radiation torque.
• Identifying conditions for zero-radiation force to determine optimal operating parameters.

Main Results:

• A position/frequency-dependent acoustic radiation torque emerges due to asymmetric piezoelectric actuation.
• A zero-radiation force condition is achievable with specific voltage amplitude and phase.
• The direction of the net force on the carrier can be steered in any orientation.
• Optimal operating voltage amplitude can be determined using the zero-radiation force criterion.

Conclusions:

• The proposed method offers precise control over the spatial position and orientation of active carriers.
• This technique represents a significant advancement in acoustic handling and contactless manipulation.
• It paves the way for enhanced applications of single-beam acoustic methods with active carriers.