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arXiv · 1604.04063

Nematic Colloidal Swarms Assembled and Transported on Photosensitive Surfaces

Sergi Hernàndez-Navarro·Pietro Tierno·Jordi Ignés-Mullol·Francesc Sagués
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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.

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Sergi Hernàndez-Navarro, Pietro Tierno, Jordi Ignés-Mullol, Francesc Sagués. 2016-04-14. Nematic Colloidal Swarms Assembled and Transported on Photosensitive Surfaces. https://arxiv.org/abs/1604.04063

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