Strong Transient Flows Generated by Thermoplasmonic Bubble Nucleation
Journal article, 2020

The challenge of inducing and controlling localized fluid flows for generic force actuation and for achieving efficient mass transport in microfluidics is key to the development of next-generation miniaturized systems for chemistry and life sciences. Here we demonstrate a methodology for the robust generation and precise quantification of extremely strong flow transients driven by vapor bubble nucleation on spatially isolated plasmonic nanoantennas excited by light. The system is capable of producing peak flow speeds of the order mm/s at modulation rates up to ∼100 Hz in water, thus allowing for a variety of high-throughput applications. Analysis of flow dynamics and fluid viscosity dependence indicates that the transient originates in the rapid bubble expansion that follows nucleation rather than being strictly thermocapillary in nature.

active-manipulation

thermoplasmonics

flow generation

Stokeslet

bubbles

Author

Steven Jones

Chalmers, Physics, Nano and Biophysics

Daniel Andrén

Chalmers, Physics, Nano and Biophysics

Tomasz Antosiewicz

Chalmers, Physics, Bionanophotonics

Alexander Stilgoe

University of Queensland

Halina Rubinsztein-Dunlop

University of Queensland

Mikael Käll

Chalmers, Physics, Nano and Biophysics

ACS Nano

1936-0851 (ISSN) 1936-086X (eISSN)

Vol. 14 12 17468-17475

Areas of Advance

Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

Subject Categories

Biophysics

Medical Biotechnology (with a focus on Cell Biology (including Stem Cell Biology), Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Biochemistry or Biopharmacy)

Condensed Matter Physics

Infrastructure

Chalmers Materials Analysis Laboratory

DOI

10.1021/acsnano.0c07763

More information

Latest update

1/8/2021 1