Light-stimulated micromotor swarms in an electric field with accurate spatial, temporal, and mode control.

ABSTRACT: Swarming, a phenomenon widely present in nature, is a hallmark of nonequilibrium living systems that harness external energy into collective locomotion. The creation and study of manmade swarms may provide insights into their biological counterparts and shed light to the rules of life. Here, we propose an innovative mechanism for rationally creating multimodal swarms with unprecedented spatial, temporal, and mode control. The research is realized in a system made of optoelectric semiconductor nanorods that can rapidly morph into three distinct modes, i.e., network formation, collectively enhanced rotation, and droplet-like clustering, pattern, and switch in-between under light stimulation in an electric field. Theoretical analysis and semiquantitative modeling well explain the observation

SUBMITTER: Liang Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10599615 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature