Optically induced motion of liquid crystalline droplets

Soft Matter. 2018 Oct 17;14(40):8085-8089. doi: 10.1039/c8sm01426d.

Abstract

The controlled motion of a liquid crystalline active droplet was demonstrated in a surfactant solution and by irradiation with UV light. The droplet could be induced to roll on a glass substrate toward the UV light source. This was explained by the Marangoni flow induced by the UV-induced desorption of surfactants.