We have a new paper in Soft Matter
link to the paper (free to access, thanks to IISER Pune library)
We use optical illumination to generate thermal fields, creating non-reciprocal interactions between passive and active colloids. Active colloids absorb light and produce thermal gradients, driving thermo-osmotic forces that induce propulsion and chiral motion. Our Langevin simulations, backed by experimental observation, reveal how to control colloidal behavior. May have implications in light-driven chiral motion and nonlinear dynamics.
Super effort by Rahul, Ashutosh & Sneha from our group, who combined numerical simulations, analytical theory, with experimental observations.
The 2 anonymous reviewers made us think and work hard, and we thank them!
Also, the paper is part of the journal’s themed collection on “Colloidal interactions, dynamics and rheology”
