A Laser Beam Induced Optical Manipulation of a Smectite

On-demand and local manipulation of exfoliated clay nanosheets in colloidal dispersions enables a variety of novel applications of clay-based materials. In this study, manipulation of a single fluorohectorite nanosheet by utilizing the radiation pressure of a tightly focused laser beam was demonstrated. When a linearly polarized continuous laser beam was irradiated to a fluorohectorite nanosheet, the nanosheet was oriented with its in-plane direction parallel to the propagation direction of the laser beam. Furthermore, the nanosheet edge was directed in parallel to the polarization direction of the laser beam. When the polarization direction of the laser beam was rotated, the nanosheet was rotated following the rotation of the polarization direction.