Combined Optical and Chemical Control of a Microsized Photofueled Janus Particle.

A Au-silica Janus particle is elevated along the laser beam axis in an optical trap. The propulsion mechanism is based on the local temperature gradient created around the particle due to the photothermal conversion of the gold-coated hemisphere. The height of the particle and its motion-direction are tuned by the nature and the concentration of the electrolytes in the medium.