Nanoalignment by critical Casimir torques

Gan Wang, Piotr Nowakowski, Nima Farahmand Bafi, Benjamin Midtvedt, Falko Schmidt, Agnese Callegari, Ruggero Verre, Mikael Käll, S. Dietrich, Svyatoslav Kondrat () and Giovanni Volpe ()
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Gan Wang: University of Gothenburg
Piotr Nowakowski: Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems
Nima Farahmand Bafi: Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems
Benjamin Midtvedt: University of Gothenburg
Falko Schmidt: ETH Zürich
Agnese Callegari: University of Gothenburg
Ruggero Verre: Chalmers University of Technology
Mikael Käll: Chalmers University of Technology
S. Dietrich: Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems
Svyatoslav Kondrat: Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems
Giovanni Volpe: University of Gothenburg

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract The manipulation of microscopic objects requires precise and controllable forces and torques. Recent advances have led to the use of critical Casimir forces as a powerful tool, which can be finely tuned through the temperature of the environment and the chemical properties of the involved objects. For example, these forces have been used to self-organize ensembles of particles and to counteract stiction caused by Casimir-Liftshitz forces. However, until now, the potential of critical Casimir torques has been largely unexplored. Here, we demonstrate that critical Casimir torques can efficiently control the alignment of microscopic objects on nanopatterned substrates. We show experimentally and corroborate with theoretical calculations and Monte Carlo simulations that circular patterns on a substrate can stabilize the position and orientation of microscopic disks. By making the patterns elliptical, such microdisks can be subject to a torque which flips them upright while simultaneously allowing for more accurate control of the microdisk position. More complex patterns can selectively trap 2D-chiral particles and generate particle motion similar to non-equilibrium Brownian ratchets. These findings provide new opportunities for nanotechnological applications requiring precise positioning and orientation of microscopic objects.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49220-1

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