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A high sensitivity force sensor based on dielectric microspheres in vacuum, optically trapped by a single, upward-propagating laser beam, is described. Off-axis parabolic mirrors are used both to focus the 1064~nm trapping beam and to…
Soft matter consists of meso-scale (nm~{\mu}m) structures that are formed by weak interactions and reorganized under thermal fluctuations. The resulting complex relaxation phenomena may be probed with microrheology, by observing the…
We present a versatile setup for investigating the nanofluidic behavior of nanoparticles as a function of the gap distance between two confining surfaces. The setup is designed as an open system which operates with small amounts of…
In granular physics experiments, it is a persistent challenge to obtain the boundary stress measurements necessary to provide full a rheological characterization of the dynamics. Here, we describe a new technique by which the outer boundary…
The flow of water confined to nanometer-sized pores is central to a wide range of subjects from biology to nanofluidic devices. Despite its importance, a clear picture about nanoscale fluid dynamics is yet to emerge. Here we measured…
We develop and thoroughly test a stress-controlled, parallel plates shear cell that can be coupled to an optical microscope or a small angle light scattering setup, for simultaneous investigation of the rheological properties and the…
Modern interfacial science is increasingly multi-disciplinary. Unique insight into interfacial interactions requires new multimodal techniques for interrogating surfaces with simultaneous complementary physical and chemical measurements. We…
Nanomechanical resonators have recently been highlighted because of their remarkable ability to perform the sensing and detection. Since the nanomechanical resonators are characterized by large surface-to-volume ratio, it is implied that…
Microfluidic channels have emerged as useful tools to control dynamic forcing on transported microscale objects, as encountered in emulsions, biological flows, and other soft matter systems. Tailored channel designs enable precise…
In the last decade, the role of shearing loads has been increasingly suspected to play a determinant impact in the formation of deep pressure ulcers. In vivo observations of such deformations are complex to obtain. Previous studies only…
Inter-surface forces mediated by polymer films are important in a range of technological and industrial situations. In cosmetics, applications such as hair conditioning typically rely on the adsorption of polyelectrolyte films onto the…
In everyday life we encounter many complex fluids, from shear-thinning paint and toothpaste to shear-thickening starch suspensions. The study of their properties offers an opportunity for students to relate sophisticated physical concepts…
Oscillatory shear tests are widely used in rheology to characterize the linear and non-linear mechanical response of complex fluids, including the yielding transition. There is an increasing urge to acquire detailed knowledge of the…
Surface acoustic wave devices are key components for processing radio frequency signals in wireless communication because these devices offer simultaneously high performance, compact size and low cost. The optimization of the device…
Surface roughness influences significantly the quality factor of high frequency nanoresonators for large frequency - relaxation times within the non-Newtonian regime, where a purely elastic dynamics develops. It is shown that the influence…
We have developed a nanomechanical resonator, for which the motional degree of freedom is a superfluid 4He oscillating flow confined to precisely defined nanofluidic channels. It is composed of an in-cavity capacitor measuring the…
The mechanical properties of soft materials can be probed on small length scales by various microrheology methods. A common approach tracks fluctuations of micrometer-sized beads embedded in the medium to be characterized. This approach…
Artificial micro and nano machines have been envisioned and demonstrated as potential candidates for variety of applications, ranging from targeted drug or gene delivery, cell manipulation, environmental sensing and many more. Here, we…
Superfluidity in $^3$He exhibits many unique properties that are of interest to modern condensed matter research, including multiple superfluid phase transitions, topological defects, and exotic classes of excitations like Majorana and Weyl…
We study the rheology of dry and wet granular materials in the steady quasistatic regime using the Discrete Element Method (DEM) in a split-bottom ring shear cell with focus on the macroscopic friction. The aim of our study is to understand…