Role of particle anisotropy and deposition method on the patterning of nano-objects by the photovoltaic effect in LiNbO3

[Display omitted] . •Light-induced patterning of micro/nanoparticles on bulk photovoltaic crystals is studied by theory and experiments.•We use isotropic and anisotropic particles, single and holographic illumination and two different deposition methods in air.•The deposition method and particle anisotropy plays key role in the pattern properties as explained by theory. Novel experiments and data analysis on the emergent use of evanescent photovoltaic fields generated by visible illumination of Fe:LiNbO3 for trapping, patterning and massif manipulation of micro-and nano-objects are reported. The data include experiments on a variety of particles (dielectric and conductive) and illumination geometries. The data reveal the key role of several physical parameters such as the modulation m of the exciting light pattern, particle anisotropy and deposition method. The observed dependences are satisfactorily described within a theoretical framework describing the dielectrophoretic forces acting on the substrate surface.