Light-induced Non-uniform Surface Polarization Evolution as Active Matter Motion Mechanism

Abstract

A new mechanism for micro-swimmer motion in an aquatic environment, which implies light-induced polarization perturbations as a motivation for its motion, is proposed. The mechanism assumes that natural light leads to an enhancement of the non-uniform polarization distribution at the micro-swimmer's surface and also to an enhancement of its surface deformations. The interaction of such non-uniform polarization with free charges of the environment and the mechanical interaction of surface deformations with media flows lead to the directed micro-swimmer motion. The mathematical justification for this mechanism is based on the free energy functional minimization in terms of polarization. The obtained solutions correspond to the translation motion along the micro-swimmer and the rotation of the non-uniform polarization distribution. The estimation of the velocity of micro-swimmer motion, which is based on the hydrodynamics of the active matter, corresponds to the experimentally observed values.