Magnetics Business & Technology - Winter 2011 - (Page 11)

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT Magnetic Attraction: NIST/CU Microchip Demonstrates Concept of ‘MRAM for Biomolecules’ however, the spin valves have been optimized for magnetic trapping. Pulses of electric current are used to switch individual spin valve magnets on to trap a bead, or off to release it, and thereby move the bead down a ladder formed by the two lines. The beads start out suspended in salt water above the valves before being trapped in the array. “It’s a whole new way of thinking about microfluidics,” said NIST physicist John Moreland. “The cool thing is it’s a switchable permanent magnet, after it’s turned on it requires no power. You beat heat by switching things quickly, so you only need power for less than a microsecond.” Researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and University of Colorado Boulder (CU) have developed a low-power microchip that uses a combination of microfluidics and magnetic switches to trap and transport magnetic beads. The novel transport chip may have applications in biotechnology and medical diagnostics. A key innovation in the new chip is the use of magnetic switches like those in a computer random access memory. The NIST/ CU team used the chip to trap, release and transport magnetic beads that potentially could be used as transport vehicles for biomolecules such as DNA. Conventional microfluidics systems use pumps and valves to move particles and liquids through channels. Magnetic particle transport microchips offer a new approach to microfluidics but generally require continuous power and in some cases cooling to avoid sample damage from excessive heating. The NIST/CU technology eliminates these drawbacks while offering the possibility for random access twodimensional control and a memory that lasts even with the power off. A Bunting Magnetics Company Why go offshore when our wide range of capabilities makes Magnet Applications the ideal choice for the design, engineering, prototyping and manufacturing of magnetic assemblies? • Injection and Compression Bonded Magnets • Injection Molded Plastic Materials • Machining and Metalwork • Design, Modeling and Prototyping of Assemblies • Fabrication of Any Quantity, Short or Long Run Whether you need a single assembly, a short run of assemblies, or a source for mass- market quantities, let Magnet Applications be your Total Magnetic Solution. Micrograph of magnetic microfluidic chip developed by NIST and CU. Brief pulses of electrical current in the two orange lines generate a magnetic field to turn individual spin valves (blue bars) on and off, moving a magnetic bead up or down the “ladder.” Image Credit: W. Altman/CU and NIST The demo chip features two adjacent lines of 12 thin-film magnet switches called spin valves, commonly used as magnetic sensors in read heads of high-density computer disk drives. In this case, www.MagneticsMagazine.com Sales and Customer Support Center 375 Horsham Road, Suite 200 • Horsham, PA 19044 • USA Toll Free: +1 (800) 437-8890• Fax: +1 (215) 441-7734 www.MagnetApplications.com • E-mail: Sales@MagnetUS.com Winter 2011 • Magnetics Business & Technology 11 http://www.MagnetApplications.com http://www.MagnetApplications.com http://www.MagneticsMagazine.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Magnetics Business & Technology - Winter 2011

Magnetics Business & Technology - Winter 2011
Editor's Choice
Rare Earth Future
Research & Development
Passive Magnetic Bearing Prototype Testing Results
Magnets • Materials • Measurement
Application • Component Developments
MAGNETICS 2012 Conference Preview
2011 Resource Guide
Volatility in the Rare-Earth Material Markets – Some Benefits After All
Marketplace
Spontaneous Thoughts: Is Your Design Optimized?

Magnetics Business & Technology - Winter 2011