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Swarming, a phenomenon widely present in nature, is a hallmark of nonequilibrium living systems that harness external energy into collective locomotion. The creation and study of manmade swarms may provide insights into their biological counterparts and shed light to the rules of life. Here, we propose an innovative mechanism for rationally creating multimodal swarms with unprecedented spatial, temporal, and mode control. The research is realized in a system made of optoelectric semiconductor nanorods that can rapidly morph into three distinct modes, i.e., network formation, collectively enhanced rotation, and droplet-like clustering, pattern, and switch in-between under light stimulation in an electric field. Theoretical analysis and semiquantitative modeling well explain the observation by understanding the competition between two countering effects: the electrostatic assembly for orderliness and electrospinning-induced disassembly for disorderliness. This work could inspire the rational creation of new classes of reconfigurable swarms for both fundamental research and emerging applications. 

To develop active materials that can efficiently respond to external stimuli with designed mechanical motions is a major obstacle that have hindered the realization nanomachines and nanorobots. Here, we present our finding and investigation of an original working mechanism that allows multifold reconfigurable motion control in both rotation and alignment of semiconductor micromotors in an AC electric field with simple visible-light stimulation. In our previous work, we reported the instantly switchable electrorotation owing to the optically tunable imaginary part of electric polarization of a semiconductor nanowire in aqueous suspension[1]. Here we provide further experimental confirmation along with numerical simulation. Moreover, according to the Kramers-Kronig relation, the real part of the electric polarization should also be optically tunable, which can be experimentally verified with tests of electro-alignment of a nanowire. Here, we report our experimental study of light effect on electro-alignment along with theoretical simulation to complete the investigation of opto-tunable electric polarization of a semiconductor nanowire. Finally, we demonstrate a micromotor with periodically oscillating rotation with simple asymmetric exposure to a light pattern. This research could inspire development of a new class of micro/nanomachines with agile and spatially defined maneuverability. 

Abstract To develop active nanomaterials that can instantly respond to external stimuli with designed mechanical motions is an important step towards the realization of nanorobots. Herein, we present our finding of a versatile working mechanism that allows instantaneous change of alignment direction and speed of semiconductor nanowires in an external electric field with simple visible-light exposure. The light induced alignment switch can be cycled over hundreds of times and programmed to express words in Morse code. With theoretical analysis and simulation, the working principle can be attributed to the optically tuned real-part (in-phase) electrical polarization of a semiconductor nanowire in aqueous suspension. The manipulation principle is exploited to create a new type of microscale stepper motor that can readily switch between in-phase and out-phase modes, and agilely operate independent of neighboring motors with patterned light. This work could inspire the development of new types of micro/nanomachines with individual and reconfigurable maneuverability for many applications.