Our research involves light-matter interaction of micro and nano systems in complex fluidic environments. We study how light can be utilized to manipulate the motion of microscopic and and nanoscopic particles as well as the creation of fast fluid flows. This work investigates the fundamental aspects of light, temperature and hydrodynamics. Our studies employs synthetic colloids as toy model of active matter system to induce self-propulsion, self-assembly and manipulation across multiple length scales. This is a highly interdisciplinary field involving microfluidics, soft matter physics and temperature engineering.
In particular my research involves:
In particular my research involves:
- nano and micro machines
- optofluidics
- microcavities and small forces
This addresses current scientific and technological challenges in developing novel methods, for example, in smart drug delivery systems, automated search-and-rescue missions, and soil and water remediation from environmental pollutants. Moreover, the study of small forces in micro cavities allows to understand and build a new generation of sensors whose enhanced sensitivity enables the detection of transient effects and molecules.
News & Events
New article published in Nature Photonics
Our latest research, published in Nature Photonics, reveals a powerful new way to control fluids and particles using only light and heat. By projecting structured light patterns into a microfluidic chamber, we generate localized heating that forms 3D ... (Link)
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Long Night of Sciences in Leipzig
The long night of sciences (German: Lange Nacht Der Wissenschaften) enables insights into current research topics at the University of Leipzig, including the SoftMatter Division at the Department of Physics and Earth Sciences. Falko Schmidt and Frank ... (Link)
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OptoFluidiX 2025: International Conference on Advances in Optofluidics to Take Place in Leipzig
The international scientific community is invited to attend OptoFluidiX 2025, a conference dedicated to recent advances and future directions in the interdisciplinary field of optofluidics. The event will be held from September 16–18, 2025, at at Leipz... (Link)
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Research Projects
Light-induced micro and nano machines
Optical tweezers are used to induce rotational motion of nanoparticles and microparticles effectively creating miniaturised versions of macroscopic engines.
Under light illumination a suspension of binary colloids self-assembles into active hierarchical superstructures providing insights into the formation process of biological systems.
3D Optofluidics and Thermal Imaging
The local heating of fluids with light leads to complex pattern of flows that can be steered and measured with light using optofluidics and thermometry.
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Publications
Three-dimensional optofluidic control using reconfigurable thermal barriers
Falko Schmidt, Carlos David Gonzalez-Gomez, Marc Sulliger, Emilio Ruiz-Reina, Raul A. Rica, Jaime Ortega Arroyo, Romain Quidant
Nature Photonics, 2025
Non–steady state thermometry with optical diffraction tomography
Adarsh B Vasista, Bernard Ciraulo, Falko Schmidt, Jaime Ortega Arroyo, Romain Quidant
Science Advances, vol. 10(12), 2024, pp. eadk5440
Nanoalignment by Critical Casimir Torques
Gan Wang, Piotr Nowakowski, Nima Farahmand Bafi, Benjamin Midtvedt, Falko Schmidt, Ruggero Verre, Mikael Käll, S. Dietrich, Svyatoslav Kondrat, Giovanni Volpe
Nature Communications, vol. 15(5086), 2024
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About Me:
Dr. Falko Schmidt has defended his doctoral thesis in 2021 from the physics department at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. He is currently an independent PostDoctoral Fellow at the Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) in Zurich, Switzerland working on 3D optofluidics.
He has over 9 years of experience in building holographic optical setups for experiments on the optical manipulation of micro- and nanosystems. He is the author of 7 scientific peer-reviewed articles published in renowned journals (e.g. Nature Physics, Nature Communications, Physical Review Letters, ACS Photonics). He is also the co-founder of Lucero AB, a spin-off from research at the University of Gothenburg developing automated manipulation solutions for single cells in drug screening purposes.
He has over 9 years of experience in building holographic optical setups for experiments on the optical manipulation of micro- and nanosystems. He is the author of 7 scientific peer-reviewed articles published in renowned journals (e.g. Nature Physics, Nature Communications, Physical Review Letters, ACS Photonics). He is also the co-founder of Lucero AB, a spin-off from research at the University of Gothenburg developing automated manipulation solutions for single cells in drug screening purposes.
Contact
Dr. Falko Schmidt
Senior Researcher