Fig. 5: Probing photonic streamline dynamics through optofluidic velocimetry. | Nature Communications

Fig. 5: Probing photonic streamline dynamics through optofluidic velocimetry.

From: Structuring light with flows

Fig. 5: Probing photonic streamline dynamics through optofluidic velocimetry.The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.

a Schematic of the optical tweezers setup for photonic streamline mapping. Adapted from Yan, W. et al. Hydrodynamic Insight Drives Multimodal Light Field Dynamics via Streamline Engineering. Preprint at arXiv:2507.07928 (2025). Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Changes were made. Key components: beam splitters (BS), phase-only spatial light modulator (SLM), and lens pair (L1-L2). The open-top microfluidic chamber, containing 2-μm diameter polystyrene microspheres in deionized water, was mounted on a Nano-LP200 piezo nanopositioner. Synchronized z-axis displacement and CMOS camera exposure enable 3D trajectory reconstruction of liquid-borne probing microspheres through coordinated scanning. b–e Reconstructed 3D microsphere trajectories (time-color-coded discrete points) in: b 22th-order NDPVB, c 38th-order NDPVB, d self-similar NDPVB with linear radial expansion, and e conventional perfect vortex beam. Red curves: Predesigned energy streamlines. The conventional beam (e) only maintains 2D perfect in a single transverse plane, particles escape and steering ceases when diffracting beyond this plane. f–i the CMOS camera frames (Supplementary Movie 3) of liquid-borne probing microspheres on z-scan liquid-surface.

Back to article page