Abstract
The manipulation of superparamagnetic microbeads for lab-on-a-chip applications relies on the steering of microbeads across an altering stray field landscape on top of soft magnetic parent structures. Using ab initio principles, we show three-dimensional simulations forecasting the controlled movement of microbeads. Simulated aspects of microbead behaviour include the looping and lifting of microbeads around a magnetic circular structure, the flexible bead movement along symmetrically distributed triangular structures, and the dragging of magnetic beads across an array of exchange biased magnetic microstripes. The unidirectional motion of microbeads across a string of oval elements is predicted by simulations and validated experimentally. Each of the simulations matches the experimental results, proving the robustness and accuracy of the applied numerical method. The computer experiments provide details on the particle motion not accessible by experiments. The simulation capabilities prove to be an essential part for the estimation of future lab-on-chip designs.
Highlights
The manipulation of superparamagnetic microbeads for lab-on-a-chip applications relies on the steering of microbeads across an altering stray field landscape on top of soft magnetic parent structures
The behaviour of the MBs on the magnetic structures is defined by the magnetostatic interaction between the MBs and the magnetic structures over which an external magnetic vector field is applied
By changing the external field and thereby the magnetic microstructure of the employed magnetic structures, motion of the MBs is achieved by changing the correlated potential energy landscape
Summary
The manipulation of superparamagnetic microbeads for lab-on-a-chip applications relies on the steering of microbeads across an altering stray field landscape on top of soft magnetic parent structures. The modelling of MB behaviour by quantitative descriptions of the magnetic forces between the superparamagnetic MBs and the micromagnetic state of the parent structure, as well as the hydrodynamic drag forces, is of great interest for the design of new structures to achieve specific functionalities[12,16,27,28]. Various simulations considered different aspects of MB motion with magnetic patterns This includes the aspects of MB trapping[29] and resulting magnetic potentials of the magnetic structures from micromagnetic calculations for the design of microrotors[30] and magnetic tracks displaying bead size selective MB moving behaviour[31]. We predict static and dynamic MB behaviour in a wide range of structures by three-dimensional simulations, facilitating base functionalities of transport and sorting of MBs. We demonstrate the ability to simulate arbitrary structures starting from calculated states of magnetization being computed for all relevant external magnetic field conditions. A selected variety of different model and application relevant systems is used to validate the accuracy of the calculations
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