Nanoscale light-driven propulsion elements that convert photon momentum and scattering into mechanical motion of an object in a liquid.
This subcategory covers nanoscale actuators driven by a light beam, where force arises from photon momentum transfer (photon recoil) or from directional scattering of light on metallic structures. Unlike classical electromechanical actuators, they have no moving parts and no electrical power supply — energy and control are delivered remotely by an external laser beam. The direction of motion can be steered by the polarization of the light. Such elements typically operate in aqueous environments and are being developed for nanorobots that manipulate biological objects.
