Light-momentum-driven soft optical waveguide micro-actuators

Radiation pressure of light allows us to exert forces and trap microscopic objects by highly focused laser beams in the form of optical tweezers. In principle, light also exerts mechanical forces in curved optical waveguides as photons alter their direction and momentum. While these optical forces are typically negligible due to the rigidity of conventional materials, we demonstrate that soft photopolymer optical waveguides can undergo significant mechanical deformation driven by light momentum. Using two-photon polymerization direct laser writing, we fabricate micron-scale curved nanowire waveguides that exhibit large-scale movements when guiding light. An analytical optomechanical model accurately predicts the observed shape deformations and their power-dependent behavior. Our findings pave the way for the development of light-driven micro-actuators, offering fresh opportunities for photonic and microelectromechanical systems.

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Publication Details

Journal
Nature Communications
Published
2025-11-07
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-64826-9
Citations
1
Primary Topic
Nonlinear Optical Materials Studies
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.67
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article

Light-momentum-driven soft optical waveguide micro-actuators

Andrej Hovan, Z Tomori, Cyril Slabý, Z. Jurašeková et al.
1 citations
Nature Communications
Nonlinear Optical Materials Studies
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article

Light-momentum-driven soft optical waveguide micro-actuators

Andrej Hovan, Z Tomori, Cyril Slabý, Z. Jurašeková, Gergely T. Iványi, Jana Kubačková, Lóránd Kelemen, Alena Strejčková, Gregor Bánó, Gaszton Vizsnyiczai
article en
1 citations

Abstract

Radiation pressure of light allows us to exert forces and trap microscopic objects by highly focused laser beams in the form of optical tweezers. In principle, light also exerts mechanical forces in curved optical waveguides as photons alter their direction and momentum. While these optical forces are typically negligible due to the rigidity of conventional materials, we demonstrate that soft photopolymer optical waveguides can undergo significant mechanical deformation driven by light momentum. Using two-photon polymerization direct laser writing, we fabricate micron-scale curved nanowire waveguides that exhibit large-scale movements when guiding light. An analytical optomechanical model accurately predicts the observed shape deformations and their power-dependent behavior. Our findings pave the way for the development of light-driven micro-actuators, offering fresh opportunities for photonic and microelectromechanical systems.

Nature CommunicationsVol. 16(1)
University of Pavol Jozef Šafárik (SK), University of Szeged (HU), HUN-REN Szegedi Biológiai Kutatóközpont (HU), University of Veterinary Medicine in Košice (SK), Institute of Experimental Physics of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SK), Institute of Biophysics (HU)
Openalex Percentile: Top 25%
Nonlinear Optical Materials Studies
0.67
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Light-momentum-driven soft optical waveguide micro-actuators — Andrej Hovan, Z Tomori, et al. · Nature Communications (2025) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS