Object Transportation System Mimicking the Cilia of Paramecium aurelia Making Use of the Light‐Controllable Crystal Bending Behavior of a Photochromic Diarylethene

Abstract

AbstractThe design of an object transportation system exploiting the bending behavior of surface‐assembled diarylethene crystals is reported. A photoactuated smart surface based on this system can transport polystyrene beads to a desired area depending on the direction of the incident light. Two main challenges were addressed to accomplish directional motion along a surface: first, the preparation of crystals whose bending behavior depends on the direction of incident light; second, the preparation of a film on which these photochromic crystal plates are aligned. Nuclei generation and nuclear growth engineering were achieved by using a roughness‐controlled dotted microstructured substrate. This system demonstrates how to achieve a mechanical function as shown by remote‐controlled motion along a surface.