Magnetic Micro-Coils

Scientists in Singapore have devised magnetic micro-coils for moving beads along a microfluidic track. Microfluidics -- the transport of small objects or fluids around a microchip often fabricated using the same lithographic techniques used for photonics or electronics -- has many current and potential applications in materials science and in bio/medical studies.

Researchers at three Singapore organizations, the Institute of Microelectronics, the Institute of Bioengineering and NanoTechnology, and the Nanyang Technological University, have constructed several different types of magnetized pillar structures which, when energized, and move beads tens of microns around a microfluidic chip.

Ramadan et al., Applied Physics Letters, 16 January 2006
Contact Qasem Ramadan, qasmr@ime.a-star.edu.sg