Programmable Hydrodynamics of Active Particles

Programmable Hydrodynamics of Active Particles | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Programmable Hydrodynamics of Active Particles Frank Cichos, Lisa Rohde, Gordei Anchutkin, Viktor Holubec This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8495699/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Self-propelled microparticles create flow fields that determine how they interact with surfaces, external flows, and each other. These flow fields fall into distinct classes--pushers, pullers, and neutral swimmers--each exhibiting fundamentally different collective behaviors. In all existing synthetic systems, this hydrodynamic character is permanently set during fabrication, making it impossible to explore how adaptive switching between these classes might enable new functions or emergent phenomena. Here we demonstrate that the hydrodynamic character of a microswimmer can be programmed and switched on demand. Using patterned laser heating of surface-bound nanoparticles, we create tailored temperature gradients that drive controllable boundary flows at the particle surface. By changing the illumination pattern in real time, we dynamically transform the swimmers flow field continuously tuning from pusher to puller, while the particle continues to swim. Flow measurements confirm quantitative agreement with theory and allow us to simultaneously track how symmetry, power consumption, and efficiency change across modes. This control over hydrodynamic modes opens experimental access to questions that have remained largely theoretical: How do adaptive swimmers respond to crowding or confinement? Can mixtures with tunable pusher-puller ratios reveal new collective states? Our approach provides a platform to address these questions and explore the morphological developments of active matter systems under external physical constraints. Physical sciences/Physics/Statistical physics, thermodynamics and nonlinear dynamics/Thermodynamics Physical sciences/Physics/Fluid dynamics Physical sciences/Materials science/Soft materials/Colloids Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Supplementary Files SupplementaryMovie1.mp4 Supplementary Movie 1 SupplementaryMovie2.mp4 Supplementary Movie 2 RohdeSupplementaryInformation.pdf Supplementary Information Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8495699","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":603073046,"identity":"e62c4d77-7d55-454e-b3f5-7a53d74d713b","order_by":0,"name":"Frank 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