# Drop Behavior on Heterogeneous Ratchet-Structured Substrates Harmonically Vibrated in Lateral Direction

## TL;DR

This paper studies how liquid drops move on patterned surfaces when vibrated, enabling controlled motion useful in microfluidics.

## Contribution

The novel contribution is the numerical analysis of a new ratchet system using a phase field model to achieve directed motion.

## Key findings

- Long-distance net-driven motion of liquid drops is possible on heterogeneous ratchet-structured substrates.
- Harmonic lateral vibrations enable controlled movement in specific parameter domains.
- The system shows potential for applications in micro- and nanofluidics.

## Abstract

We analyze numerically
a new ratchet system: a liquid drop is sitting
on a heterogeneous ratchet-structured solid plate. The coated plate
is subject to a lateral harmonic oscillation. The systematic investigation
performed in the frame of a phase field model shows the possibility
of realizing a long-distance net-driven motion for isolated domains
of the forcing parameters. The studied problem might be of considerable
interest for controlled motion in micro- and nanofluidics.