Numerical Visualization of Macroscopic Gas Flows around Laser Opto-microactuators

Abstract

A laser opto-microactuator in which optical energy is supplied by a laser beam is proposed. The opto-microactuator is rotated by molecular gas dynamics effects. The effects of the molecular weights of gases on opto-microactuator are revealed by numerical simulations. The direct simulation of Monte Carlo (DSMC) method numerically simulates gas molecular motion around the microactuator. The macroscopic gas flows are visualized from the numerical results of the DSMC method. The numerical results show that gas pressure differences between front and rear blade-surfaces of the microactuator-rotors dependent on the molecular weights of the gases.