Micromotors with asymmetric shape that efficiently convert light into work by thermocapillary effects
Micromotors with asymmetric shape that efficiently convert light into work by thermocapillary effects
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DOI：
10.1038/ncomms8855
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发表时间：
2015-07-01
影响因子：
16.6
通讯作者：
Di Leonardo, Roberto
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Maggi, Claudio;Saglimbeni, Filippo;Di Leonardo, Roberto
将光直接转换为功，可以以非接触、可控和连续的方式驱动微米级电机。光到功的转换可以涉及光动量的直接转移或间接光热效应。这两种策略都是使用不同的耦合机制来实现的。然而，由此产生的效率总是非常低，并且需要通常通过聚焦激光束获得的高功率密度。在这里，我们展示了位于液-气界面上的微加工齿轮可以通过热毛细管效应有效地将吸收的光转化为旋转运动。我们演示了高达 300 转/分钟的旋转速度。在非相干光的宽视场照明下。我们的分析表明，热毛细管推进是微米和纳米尺度光驱动的最强机制之一。
The direct conversion of light into work allows the driving of micron-sized motors in a contactless, controllable and continuous way. Light-to-work conversion can involve either direct transfer of optical momentum or indirect opto-thermal effects. Both strategies have been implemented using different coupling mechanisms. However, the resulting efficiencies are always very low, and high power densities, generally obtained by focused laser beams, are required. Here we show that microfabricated gears, sitting on a liquid-air interface, can efficiently convert absorbed light into rotational motion through a thermocapillary effect. We demonstrate rotation rates up to 300 r.p.m. under wide-field illumination with incoherent light. Our analysis shows that thermocapillary propulsion is one of the strongest mechanisms for light actuation at the micron- and nanoscale.