Artificial helical microswimmers with mastigoneme-inspired appendages

A smooth flagellum moves in the opposite direction of the propagation of flagellar waves. Conversely, a flagellum covered with appendages perpendicular to the main flagellum, called mastigonemes, moves in the same direction as the propagation of flagellar waves. Inspired by mastigoneme structures in...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biomicrofluidics 2013-11, Vol.7 (6), p.61101-61101
Main Authors: Tottori, Soichiro, Nelson, Bradley J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Appendages
Brief Communications
Electron beam lithography
Ferromagnetic materials
Swimming
Thin films
Wave propagation
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Summary:A smooth flagellum moves in the opposite direction of the propagation of flagellar waves. Conversely, a flagellum covered with appendages perpendicular to the main flagellum, called mastigonemes, moves in the same direction as the propagation of flagellar waves. Inspired by mastigoneme structures in nature, we report the reversal of the swimming direction of magnetically actuated artificial helical microswimmers. The main flagella and mastigonemes of these microswimmers are fabricated together using three-dimensional lithography and electron beam evaporation of ferromagnetic thin films. The results show that the swimming speed and direction can be controlled by changing the length/spacing ratio of the mastigonemes.
ISSN:1932-1058
1932-1058
DOI:10.1063/1.4827915