Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 27, 2025
10:03
Quantitative Locomotion Study of Freely Swimming Micro-organisms Using Laser Diffraction
Published on: October 25, 2012
11.7K
Near-infrared-laser-navigated dancing bubble within water via a thermally conductive interface
1Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China. human@fudan.edu.cn.
Nature Communications
|September 30, 2022
Summary
Researchers developed a novel method for 3D bubble manipulation using near-infrared lasers and a thermal interface. This technique enables spontaneous bouncing and controlled movement of underwater bubbles for diverse applications.
Area of Science:
- Fluid dynamics
- Microfluidics
- Materials science
Background:
- Precise manipulation of droplets and bubbles is crucial for microfluidic devices, drug delivery, and soft robotics.
- Existing methods for manipulating bubbles are limited to planar or curved geometries and slow speeds, posing challenges for 3D manipulation, especially underwater.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel method for achieving 3D manipulation of underwater bubbles.
- To investigate the underlying physics of bubble manipulation using thermal gradients and Marangoni forces.
- To demonstrate the potential applications of controlled bubble manipulation.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing near-infrared laser impacting on water with a thermally conductive interface.
- Observing and analyzing spontaneously bouncing bubbles.
- Employing scaling analysis and numerical simulations to understand the thermal Marangoni force.
- Controlling bubble navigation by steering the laser beam.
Main Results:
- Unexpected observation of spontaneously bouncing bubbles (hundreds-of-micrometers diameter) at tens-of-Hertz frequency.
- Identification of a temperature inversion layer generating depth-dependent thermal Marangoni force as the cause of bouncing.
- Demonstration of bubble steerability with velocities up to 40 mm/s.
- Observation of diverse bubble behaviors including bouncing and dancing.
Conclusions:
- The developed method enables unprecedented 3D manipulation of underwater bubbles.
- The thermal Marangoni force, driven by a temperature inversion layer, is key to the observed bubble dynamics.
- This technique offers potential applications in materials science (bubble-based compositions) and environmental remediation (contamination removal).
