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Light-controllable liquid crystal platform for microparticle oscillations and transport
Sergey Shvetsov1, Tetiana Orlova1,2, Aleksandr Hayrapetyan1
1Institute of Physics, Yerevan State University, 1 Alex Manoogian st., Yerevan 0025, Armenia. SergeyShvetsov@ysu.am.
Soft Matter
|August 20, 2024
Summary
Researchers demonstrate light-driven control of microparticles using liquid crystal films. This platform enables tunable trapping, transport, and complex motions for microfluidic applications.
Area of Science:
- Colloidal science
- Soft matter physics
- Microfluidics
Background:
- Controlling micro-objects with external stimuli is challenging.
- Liquid crystals offer unique optical and material properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate light-driven trapping, transport, and sustained periodic motions of microparticles.
- To utilize liquid crystal films as a light-controllable colloidal platform.
Main Methods:
- Employing free-surface liquid crystal films subjected to focused light beam heating.
- Investigating Marangoni convection coupled with elastic deformations.
- Analyzing the influence of liquid crystal chirality, particle surface treatment, film thickness, and light power on particle motion.
Main Results:
- Achieved light-driven trapping and transport of microparticles.
- Observed diverse particle motions including damped/sustained oscillations and rotation.
- Demonstrated tunable control over microparticle dynamics through various parameters.
Conclusions:
- Free-surface liquid crystals provide a novel platform for indirect optical manipulation of microobjects.
- This approach enables precise control over microparticle behavior.
- Potential applications include microfluidic tools, particle sorting, micropatterning, and micromachines.
