Optically driven Archimedes micro-screws for micropump application

Abstract:

Archimedes micro-screws have been fabricated by three-dimensional two-photon polymerisation using a Nd:YAG Q-switched microchip laser at 532nm. Due to their small sizes they can be easily manipulated, and made to rotate using low power optical tweezers. Rotation rates up to 40 Hz are obtained with a laser power of 200mW, i.e. 0.2 Hz/mW. A photo-driven micropump action in a microfluidic channel is demonstrated with a non-optimized flow rate of 6pL/min. The optofluidic properties of such type of Archimedes micro-screws are quantitatively described by the conservation of momentum that occurs when the laser photons are reflected on the helical micro-screw surface.

Authors:

Chih-Lang Lin, Guy Vitrant, Michel Bouriau, Roger Casalegno, and Patrice L. Baldeck

References:

©2011 Optical Society Of America - 25 April 2011 / Vol. 19, No. 9 / OPTICS EXPRESS 8267