Moving objects at the nanoscale using thermal regions
(PHYSorg.com Nanotechnology)

Researchers report that it is possible to move a nanoparticle on the surface of a graphene sheet by applying a temperature difference at the ends of the membrane-a nanocluster on the surface will drift from the hot region to the cold one. In addition, contrary to the macroscale physical laws, the force acting on the particle-the so-called thermophoretic force-should not decrease as the sheet length rises, instead sporting a so-called ballistic behavior, as a bullet in a gun barrel. In fact, simulations show that vertical thermal oscillations of the graphene membrane flow ballistically from hot to cold, providing a push to the object.