Dresden 2017 – scientific programme

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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 12: Microswimmers I (Joint Session DY/BP)

BP 12.1: Invited Talk

Tuesday, March 21, 2017, 09:30–10:00, HÜL 186

Tactic Response of Synthetic Microswimmers in Gravitational and Optical Fields — •Clemens Bechinger — 2. Physikalisches Institut, Universität Stuttgart

Numerous motile organisms have developed intriguing steering mechanisms allowing them to orientate and navigate within gravitational, chemical or light fields. Such tactic response strongly promotes e.g., the search for food, reproduction and/or escape from unfavorable ambient conditions and is therefore an essential aspect of life. Unlike living systems, where tactic behavior is typically achieved by complex internal signal pathways, it is not obvious how this can be imposed on synthetic microswimmers which are distinguished by rather simple internal structures. Using light-activated self-propelled particles, we demonstrate that autonomous steering in gravitational fields and light gradients can be achieved without invoking a complex internal machinery but simply by the combination of viscous forces and torques which naturally arise during self-propulsion in liquids. These findings, which are confirmed by theory and simulations, make the use of artificial swimmers as micro-shuttles for targeted drug delivery to appear promising.

1. Lozano, Hagen, Löwen, Bechinger, Nat. Comm. 7, 12828 (2016).

2. Hagen, Kümmel, Wittkowski, Takagi, Löwen, Bechinger, Nat. Comm. 5, 4829 (2014).