Magnetic nanostructures for the manipulation of individual nanoscale particles in liquid environments (invited)

The manipulation of geometrically constrained magnetic domain walls (DWs) in nanoscale magnetic strips attracted much interest recently, with proposals for prospective memory and logic devices. Here we demonstrate that the high controllability of the motion of geometrically constrained DWs allows for the manipulation of individual nanoparticles in solution on a chip with the active control of position at the nanometer scale. Our approach exploits the fact that magnetic nanoparticles in suspension can be captured by a DW, whose position can be manipulated with nanometer scale accuracy in specifically designed magnetic nanowire structures. We hereby show that the precise control over DW nucleation, displacement, and annihilation processes in such nanostructures allows for the capture, transport, and release of magnetic nanoparticles. As magnetic nanoparticles with functionalized surfaces are widely used as molecule carriers or labels for single molecule studies, cell manipulation, and biomagnetic sensing, the accurate control over the handling of the single magnetic nanoparticle in suspension is a crucial building block for several applications in biotechnology, nanochemistry, and nanomedicine. (c) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3352579]