Complex micromachines produced and driven by light

A method is introduced to build microscopic light driven rotors that are created and manipulated in laser tweezers. Laser light-induced two-photon polymerization of light curing resins is applied to generate effective rotating particles several microns in size. The dynamics of rotation are evaluated. Mechanical devices consisting of multiple moving parts driven by these rotors are produced. It is shown that the combination of the techniques of microfabrication by two-photon polymerization by light and the light-induced trapping and rotation offers a powerful tool with which to build complex mechanical machines of micrometer size. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.