title: Micromotors with asymmetric shape that efficiently convert light into work by thermocapillary effects.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Roma 'Sapienza', I-00185 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maggi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Roma 'Sapienza', I-00185 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Saglimbeni
authors.affiliation: Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, I-16163 Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1823-8231
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dipalo
authors.affiliation: Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, I-16163 Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Angelis
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Roma 'Sapienza', I-00185 Roma, Italy.|NANOTEC-CNR, Institute of Nanotechnology, Soft and Living Matter Laboratory, Piazzale A. Moro 2, I-00185 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Di Leonardo