Photoacoustic 2D actuator via femtosecond pulsed laser action on van der Waals interfaces

Achieving optically controlled nanomachine engineering can satisfy the touch-free and non-invasive demands of optoelectronics, nanotechnology, and biology. Traditional optical manipulations are mainly based on optical and photophoresis forces, and they usually drive particles in gas or liquid environments. However, the development of an optical drive in a non-fluidic environment, such as on a strong van der Waals interface, remains difficult. Herein, we describe an efficient 2D nanosheet actuator directed by an orthogonal femtosecond laser, where 2D VSe₂ and TiSe₂ nanosheets deposited on sapphire substrates can overcome the interface van der Waals forces (tens and hundreds of megapascals of surface density) and move on the horizontal surfaces. We attribute the observed optical actuation to the momentum generated by the laser-induced asymmetric thermal stress and surface acoustic waves inside the nanosheets. 2D semimetals with high absorption coefficient can enrich the family of materials suitable to implement optically controlled nanomachines on flat surfaces.