Search for: All records

This report is on studies directed at the nature of magneto-electric (ME) coupling by ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) under an electric field in a coaxial nanofiber of nickel ferrite (NFO) and lead zirconate titanate (PZT). Fibers with ferrite cores and PZT shells were prepared by electrospinning. The core–shell structure of annealed fibers was confirmed by electron- and scanning probe microscopy. For studies on converse ME effects, i.e., the magnetic response of the fibers to an applied electric field, FMR measurements were done on a single fiber with a near-field scanning microwave microscope (NSMM) at 5–10 GHz by obtaining profiles of both amplitude and phase of the complex scattering parameterS₁₁as a function of bias magnetic field. The strength of the voltage-ME couplingA_vwas determined from the shift in the resonance fieldH_rfor bias voltage ofV = 0–7 V applied to the fiber. The coefficientA_vfor the NFO core/PZT shell structure was estimated to be − 1.92 kA/Vm (− 24 Oe/V). A model was developed for the converse ME effects in the fibers and the theoretical estimates are in good agreement with the data.

 

Dielectrophoresis is a force applied to microparticles in non-uniform electric field. The presented study discusses the fabrication of the glassy carbon interdigitated microelectrode arrays using lithography process based on lithographic patterning and subsequent pyrolysis of negative SU-8 photoresist. Resulting high resistance electrodes would have the regions of high electric field at the ends of microarray as demonstrated by simulation. The study demonstrates that combining the AC applied bias with the DC offset allows the user to separate sub-populations of microparticulates and control the propulsion of microparticles to the high field areas such as the ends of the electrode array. The direction of the movement of the particles can be switched by changing the offset. The demonstrated novel integrated DEP separation and propulsion can be applied to various fields including in-vitro diagnostics as well as to microassembly technologies. 

Microparticulates placed in non-uniform electric field experience dielectrophoretic forces that can be utilized for the guided assembly of microparts. The presented study discusses two types of such guided micro-assemblies. We observe the self-assembly of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into the conductive bridges between microelectrodes along the field lines. These conductive bridges are later fixed in place by the layer of electrodeposited conductive polymer Polypyrrole (PPy). Additionally, we report on using positive dielectrophoresis (pDEP) to attract polymer microbeads to the windows opened in the SU-8 photoresist on top of the microelectrodes. The electric field is getting shielded by the photoresist and thus the beads are attracted only to the bare electrodes opened in the photoresist via standard lithographic process. Presented techniques open new possibilities for the guided assembly of micro-components for sensors, actuators, microelectromechanical systems (MEMs), as well as for micro- and nano-electronic devices. 

Abstract This report is on the synthesis by electrospinning of multiferroic core-shell nanofibers of strontium hexaferrite and lead zirconate titanate or barium titanate and studies on magneto-electric (ME) coupling. Fibers with well-defined core–shell structures showed the order parameters in agreement with values for nanostructures. The strength of ME coupling measured by the magnetic field-induced polarization showed the fractional change in the remnant polarization as high as 21%. The ME voltage coefficient in H-assembled films showed the strong ME response for the zero magnetic bias field. Follow-up studies and potential avenues for enhancing the strength of ME coupling in the core–shell nanofibers are discussed.