Optothermal revolution – preprint

We have an Arxiv preprint on how a mixture of colloids (thermally active + passive particles in water) can lead to the emergence of revolution dynamics in an optical ring trap (dotted line). Super effort by our lab members Rahul Chand and Ashutosh Shukla.

Interestingly, the revolution emerges only when an active and a passive colloid are combined (not as individuals) in a ring potential (dotted line)

the direction (clock or anti-clockwise) of the revolution depends on the relative placement of the colloids in the trap

This revolution can be further used to propel a third active colloid

There are many more details in the paper. Check it out: https://arxiv.org/abs/2409.16792

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Author: G.V. Pavan Kumar

Namaste, Hola & Welcome from G.V. Pavan Kumar. I am a Professor of Physics at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, India. My research interests are : (1) Optics & Soft Matter: Optically Induced Forces – Assembly, Dynamics & Function; (2) History and Philosophy of Science – Ideas in Physical Sciences. I am interested in the historical and philosophical evolution of ideas and tools in the physical sciences and technology. I research the intellectual history of past scientists, innovators, and people driven by curiosity, and I write about them from an Indian and Asian perspective. My motivation is to humanize science. In the same spirit, I write and host my podcast Pratidhvani – Humanizing Science.

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