Phototaxis of synthetic microswimmers in optical landscapes

Lozano, Celia; ten Hagen, Borge; Löwen, Hartmut; Bechinger, Clemens

Phototaxis of synthetic microswimmers in optical landscapes

Files

Lozano_0-410745.pdf(1.5 MB)

Date

2016

Authors

Lozano, Celia

ten Hagen, Borge

Löwen, Hartmut

Bechinger, Clemens

Publication type

Journal article

Publication status

Published

Published in

Nature Communications ; 7 (2016). - 12828. - eISSN 2041-1723

Abstract

Many microorganisms, with phytoplankton and zooplankton as prominent examples, display phototactic behaviour, that is, the ability to perform directed motion within a light gradient. Here we experimentally demonstrate that sensing of light gradients can also be achieved in a system of synthetic photo-activated microparticles being exposed to an inhomogeneous laser field. We observe a strong orientational response of the particles because of diffusiophoretic torques, which in combination with an intensity-dependent particle motility eventually leads to phototaxis. Since the aligning torques saturate at high gradients, a strongly rectified particle motion is found even in periodic asymmetric intensity landscapes. Our results are in excellent agreement with numerical simulations of a minimal model and should similarly apply to other particle propulsion mechanisms. Because light fields can be easily adjusted in space and time, this also allows to extend our approach to dynamical environments.

Subject (DDC)

530 Physics

Cite This

ISO 690

LOZANO, Celia, Borge TEN HAGEN, Hartmut LÖWEN, Clemens BECHINGER, 2016. Phototaxis of synthetic microswimmers in optical landscapes. In: Nature Communications. 7, 12828. eISSN 2041-1723. Available under: doi: 10.1038/ncomms12828

BibTex

@article{Lozano2016-09-30T17:05:34ZPhoto-39238,
  year={2016},
  doi={10.1038/ncomms12828},
  title={Phototaxis of synthetic microswimmers in optical landscapes},
  volume={7},
  journal={Nature Communications},
  author={Lozano, Celia and ten Hagen, Borge and Löwen, Hartmut and Bechinger, Clemens},
  note={Article Number: 12828}
}

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