Programmable Motion of Optically Gated Electrically Powered Engineered Microswimmer Robots

Here, a new class active particles capable of dynamically programmable motion powered by electricity is reported. Physical principles are implemented that separate the propulsion and steering mechanisms of active motion using optically activated, patterned, photoresponsive semiconductor coatings on intricate microstructures. The engineered microswimmer robots employ an induced-charge electro-phoresis (ICEP) mechanism to achieve linear motion and optically modulated electrokinetic propulsion (OMEP) for steering. Optical modulation is achieved by manipulating the polarizability of patterned zinc oxide (ZnO)ultraviolet semiconductor coating through exposure to light with wavelengths above its bandgap, exploiting the semiconductor's photoconductive properties. Unlike previous methods that rely on changing the direction of optical illumination or spatially controlling narrow optical beams, the approach achieves optical steering under uniform ambient illumination conditions, thereby greatly reducing the complexity of the optical system. The decoupling of propulsion and steering allows for the programming of micromotor trajectories in both open and closed-loop control modes. It is anticipated that the findings will pave the way for efficient optically gated control of the trajectory of photoresponsive active particles. Furthermore, they will enable the selective manipulation of specific subgroups of engineered active microparticles with various semiconducting coatings having different bandgaps.