Magnetophoretic Decoupling Element for Controlling Interaction Between Magnetic Particles

Manipulation of superparamagnetic particles has been used as an attractive technique in various lab on a chip fields because bioentities can be easily separated and classified. However, due to the irreversible aggregation due to the interaction between magnetic particles, the utility of the technology was limited. Here, an efficient solution to solve this problem has been developed based on magnetophoresis technology. A decoupling element in the form of a wavy, asymmetric magnetic thin film creates a unique magnetic potential energy around the gap, which is controlled by the particle and pattern size ratio. Thus, the aggregated particles are separated into individual particles and transported in a specific direction in the array of decoupling elements. Additionally, by reorienting the external magnetic field, it is possible to control the simultaneous and precise spacing of multiple pairs of magnetic particles, and rotation of the magnetic field can continuously change the energy wells associated with the specific shape of the decoupling element. This technology provides an advanced solution for the decomposition of aggregated particles and the precise manipulation of multiple particle pairs. This suggests new possibilities for enhanced functionality in biological assay platforms using magnetic particles or magnetic tweezers platforms.