Nematic Colloidal Swarms Assembled and Transported on Photosensitive Surfaces

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new method for assembling and transporting colloidal particle swarms on photosensitive surfaces using liquid crystal electrophoresis and photo-patterning, enabling controlled movement for lab-on-a-chip applications.

Contribution

It presents a novel combination of liquid crystal electrophoresis and photo-patterning to control colloidal swarms, offering an alternative to traditional fluid-based manipulation techniques.

Findings

Colloidal swarms can be assembled into rotating clusters.

Swarms can be guided along predefined paths.

The method enables controlled transport of large particle ensembles.

Abstract

We demonstrate a novel method to assemble and transport swarms of colloidal particles by combining liquid crystals enabled electrophoresis and photo-sensitive surface patterning. Colloidal particles are propelled in a nematic liquid crystal via application of an alternating current electric field. Swarms of particles are assembled into a rotating mill cluster, or moved as a whole along predefined paths photo-imprinted on chemically functionalized substrates. This technique represents an alternative approach to fluid based lab-on-a-chip technologies guiding the motion of large ensembles of micrometer scale solid or liquid inclusions.