Nanotechnology Now

Our NanoNews Digest Sponsors
Heifer International



Home > Press > Brownian Carnot engine: ICFO researchers develop a microscopic motor with a single particle, lasers and electric fields

This image shows efficiency fluctuations at maximum power.
CREDIT: ICFO
This image shows efficiency fluctuations at maximum power.

CREDIT: ICFO

Abstract:
In a recent study published in Nature Physics, ICFO researchers Ignacio Martínez, Édgar Roldán, the late Dmitri Petrov and Raúl Rica, in collaboration with the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, have reported on the development of a microscopic motor operating between two thermal baths, that is, a micro Carnot engine.

Brownian Carnot engine: ICFO researchers develop a microscopic motor with a single particle, lasers and electric fields

Barcelona, Spain | Posted on October 28th, 2015

At the macroscopic level, a thermal engine is what makes car engines work, where a substance such as gas is compressed and expanded at different temperatures, converting thermal energy into mechanical energy, and thus, making the car move. Almost two centuries ago, the theoretical studies by Carnot set an upper bound to any thermal engine. Unfortunately, the so-called Carnot engine is a theoretical construction never tested experimentally. In their study, the researchers focused their efforts in creating a "microscopic engine" with the same properties as the Carnot engine, allowing the experimental validation of one of the milestones of Thermodynamics.

They created microscopic motors that work using a temperature difference, exactly as the engines in cars work, using the temperature difference between the hot gas inside the piston and the air outside. Instead of using a gas, they used a single particle and lasers and electrical fields in replacement of the cylinders, pistons and crankshafts, although the functioning process is essentially the same. They developed the microscopic heat engine by trapping a microparticle with a laser trap and tune the effective temperature of the particle via noisy electric fields, which increase the Brownian fluctuations of the trapped particle. Moreover, by modifying the laser power they were able to control the confinement of the particle in the trap, a sort of effective volume analogous to that of the gas inside the cylinder of a car engine. The simultaneous control over these two parameters following specific protocols established the cyclic operation that any kind of engine has, in particular those that define the Carnot cycle.

Raúl Rica comments that "the technology developed at ICFO is unique and allows one to tune the temperature of the particle in a very precise way. This fine tuning is a must for the success of the experiment and, consequently, ICFO is one of the few places where our micromotor could be developed".

The results of this study have confirmed that it is possible to build systems that transform any temperature difference into useful work or electric power, no matter how big or small they are. Ignacio Martínez sees great future in its applications since he states that "being able to understand "thermodynamics at the microscale" is a definite step forward towards comprehending how motors function within our cells. Knowing how these operate will allow us to design artificial nanomotors and apply them in state-of-the-art fields such as intelligent materials, artificial muscles, or even nanorobots".

####

About ICFO-The Institute of Photonic Sciences
ICFO-The Institute of Photonic Sciences is a center of research excellence devoted to the science and technologies of light with a triple mission: to conduct frontier research, train the next generation of scientists, and provide knowledge and technology transfer.

Research at ICFO targets the forefront of science and technology based on light with programs directed at applications in Health, Renewable Energies, Information Technologies, Security and Industrial processes, among others. The institute hosts 300 professionals based in a dedicated building situated in the Mediterranean Technology Park in the metropolitan area of Barcelona.

ICFO participates in a large number of projects and international networks of excellence and is host to the NEST program financed by Fundación Privada Cellex Barcelona. ICFO is a member of the Severo Ochoa Excelence program and a membre of The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology.

For more information, please click here

Contacts:
Alina Hirschmann

34-935-542-246

Copyright © ICFO-The Institute of Photonic Sciences

If you have a comment, please Contact us.

Issuers of news releases, not 7th Wave, Inc. or Nanotechnology Now, are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.

Bookmark:
Delicious Digg Newsvine Google Yahoo Reddit Magnoliacom Furl Facebook

Related Links

Reference:

Related News Press

News and information

Researchers develop artificial building blocks of life March 8th, 2024

How surface roughness influences the adhesion of soft materials: Research team discovers universal mechanism that leads to adhesion hysteresis in soft materials March 8th, 2024

Two-dimensional bimetallic selenium-containing metal-organic frameworks and their calcinated derivatives as electrocatalysts for overall water splitting March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

Robotics

A color-based sensor to emulate skin's sensitivity: In a step toward more autonomous soft robots and wearable technologies, EPFL researchers have created a device that uses color to simultaneously sense multiple mechanical and temperature stimuli December 8th, 2023

Femtosecond laser technique births "dancing microrobots": USTC's breakthrough in multi-material microfabrication August 11th, 2023

A solid understanding of liquid-solid interaction: Pitt researcher receives $300K from the NSF to explore motion of viscous liquids interacting with solid bodies June 30th, 2023

Liquid metal sticks to surfaces without a binding agent June 9th, 2023

Molecular Machines

First electric nanomotor made from DNA material: Synthetic rotary motors at the nanoscale perform mechanical work July 22nd, 2022

Nanotech scientists create world's smallest origami bird March 17th, 2021

Controlling the speed of enzyme motors brings biomedical applications of nanorobots closer: Recent advances in this field have made micro- and nanomotors promising devices for solving many biomedical problems October 13th, 2020

Giant nanomachine aids the immune system: Theoretical chemistry August 28th, 2020

Molecular Nanotechnology

Scientists push the boundaries of manipulating light at the submicroscopic level March 3rd, 2023

Scientist mimic nature to make nano particle metallic snowflakes: Scientists in New Zealand and Australia working at the level of atoms created something unexpected: tiny metallic snowflakes December 9th, 2022

First electric nanomotor made from DNA material: Synthetic rotary motors at the nanoscale perform mechanical work July 22nd, 2022

Nanotech scientists create world's smallest origami bird March 17th, 2021

Discoveries

What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells March 8th, 2024

Researchers’ approach may protect quantum computers from attacks March 8th, 2024

High-tech 'paint' could spare patients repeated surgeries March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Announcements

What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

The Access to Advanced Health Institute receives up to $12.7 million to develop novel nanoalum adjuvant formulation for better protection against tuberculosis and pandemic influenza March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Interviews/Book Reviews/Essays/Reports/Podcasts/Journals/White papers/Posters

Researchers develop artificial building blocks of life March 8th, 2024

How surface roughness influences the adhesion of soft materials: Research team discovers universal mechanism that leads to adhesion hysteresis in soft materials March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Research partnerships

Researchers’ approach may protect quantum computers from attacks March 8th, 2024

How surface roughness influences the adhesion of soft materials: Research team discovers universal mechanism that leads to adhesion hysteresis in soft materials March 8th, 2024

'Sudden death' of quantum fluctuations defies current theories of superconductivity: Study challenges the conventional wisdom of superconducting quantum transitions January 12th, 2024

Development of zinc oxide nanopagoda array photoelectrode: photoelectrochemical water-splitting hydrogen production January 12th, 2024

NanoNews-Digest
The latest news from around the world, FREE




  Premium Products
NanoNews-Custom
Only the news you want to read!
 Learn More
NanoStrategies
Full-service, expert consulting
 Learn More











ASP
Nanotechnology Now Featured Books




NNN

The Hunger Project