Controlled and Continuous Patterning of Organic and Inorganic Materials by Induced Nucleation in an Optical Tweezers

Abstract

We demonstrate for the first time controlled patterning by inducing nucleation of material from a dense aqueous dispersion or solution in an optical tweezers. A hot spot is formed on a glass surface by the trapping laser due to which a water vapor bubble is formed causing Gibbs-Marangoni convection of material around the bubble. This results in accretion of material around the bubble, which eventually nucleates into a crystalline state of the material. The nucleation site, when moved by translating the microscope stage of the optical tweezers apparatus, forms a pattern. We have demonstrated the technique using exotic inorganic materials such as soft oxometalates, and organic materials such as glycine, paracetamol, and a fluorescent dye such as perylene. We have written patterns over lengths of nearly 1 mm at the rate of 1 Hz, with best resolution of about 1 micron. The technique has potential for a wide range of applications ranging from solution processed printable electronics to controlled catalysis.