Light Driven Micromachines

Light Driven Micromachines addresses the fundamental characteristics of light activated and optically powered microstructures, simple mechanisms, and complex machines that perform mechanical work at the micro- and nano-scale. It provides a background for how light can initiate physical movement by inducing material or bending or inducing microforces on the surrounding medium. Then, it covers how the forces of light can be harnessed for trapping and manipulating micron-sized mechanical components. Smart materials that exhibit direct optical-to-mechanical energy conversion are examined from the perspective of designing photo-responsive actuators and optically driven systems.