Guided dynamics of Janus particle in multiple optical traps without feedback

Due to their non-equilibrium nature, manipulating self-propelling Janus particles often requires a feedback mechanism or for them to be embedded in containers with designed topological constraints. Here, we report a new method to guide the dynamics of self-thermophoretic Janus particles via multiple optical traps. Depending on the laser power used and the appropriate distance between the optical traps, the Janus particle can be guided to follow complex trajectories. Moreover, for the case of optical traps in a linear configuration, the Janus particle exhibits a periodic trajectory without the need of any feedback as compared to previous techniques.