Researchers have exploited the opto-thermoelectric effect to develop a new type of all-optical microswimmers with active navigation functionality. These microswimmers consist of individual Janus particles - polystyrene beads half coated with gold nanoparticles - that can be directionally delivered over 22 times of their own diameters in 39 seconds. The opto-thermoelectric field triggers two working states - swimming and rotating - under different laser inputs. Combined with a feedback control algorithm to coordinate swimming and rotating states of the swimmers based on real-time imaging, precise all-optical navigation and target delivery becomes possible.
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