Abstract: A method includes locating a droplet disposed in a trap in a flow channel of a microfluidic device. The droplet is stabilized by a photo-responsive fluorosurfactant (e.g., based on plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs)). The method also includes illuminating the photo-responsive fluorosurfactant on the droplet to generate sufficient heat to cause bubble formation within the trap to release the droplet from the trap.

Abstract: Fluorinated metal nanoparticles (f-MNPs) are metal nanoparticles and/or semiconductor nanoparticles having a plurality of fluorinated alkyl ligands attached to the surfaces of the nanoparticles where the f-MNPs are greater than 20 nm in cross-section. The f-MNPs can be used as a surfactant to form active f-MNPs stabilized aqueous droplet, which can be used in a light-mediated microfluidic device where droplet movement, merging, splitting, and sorting can be carried out as directed by one or more laser beams focused onto one or more spots of light-mediated microfluidic device.