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Many microorganisms, with phytoplankton and zooplankton as prominentexamples, display phototactic behaviour, that is, the ability to performdirected motion within a light gradient. Here we experimentally demonstratethat sensing of light gradients can also be achieved in a system of syntheticphoto-activated microparticles being exposed to an inhomogeneous laser field.We observe a strong orientational response of the particles because ofdiffusiophoretic torques, which in combination with an intensity-dependentparticle motility eventually leads to phototaxis. Since the aligning torquessaturate at high gradients, a strongly rectified particle motion is found evenin periodic asymmetric intensity landscapes. Our results are in excellentagreement with numerical simulations of a minimal model and should similarlyapply to other particle propulsion mechanisms. Because light fields can beeasily adjusted in space and time, this also allows to extend our approach todynamical environments.

Phototaxis of synthetic microswimmers in optical landscapes