CIC nanoGUNE

Novel tools and approaches for on-chip single-molecule and cell remote manipulation.

• We demonstrated that nano-sized magnetic domain walls (the so-called constrained magnetic domain walls, i.e., boundaries between regions with opposite magnetization),  which can be generated and manipulated by remote weak magnetic fields in lithography-defined magnetic nanostrips, can be used as nano-magnetic tweezers for trapping and manipulating magnetic nano- and micro-particles in suspension. 
• We designed and realized exemplary devices on functional substrates suitable for bio- and microfluidic applications. With these devices, we then demonstrated the remote, nm-scale precision, and robust manipulation of bio-entities (proteins and cells) labeled with magnetic particles in solution for magnetic field-controlled remote and automatized on-chip operation (see M. Donolato et al., Advanced Materials DOI: 10.1002/adma.201000146 (2010)). 
• We have proposed an application for molecular sequencing that exploits this approach for nanoparticles magnetic manipulation integrated into plasmonic nano-membranes (see N. Maccaferri et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. DOI: 10.1063/5.0046245 (2021))

• Remote on-chip operation
• Robustness
• Versatility
• Force control from fN to nN
• Manipulation at nm-scale of individual or large populations of beads
• Integrable in flexible platforms
• Combinable with detection systems (including optical)
• Small volumes handling (ml), gentle operations (minimal loss of sample)