Remote-controlled nanotweezer arrays

Researchers at INAC developed micromanipulators to form an array of submicrometric tweezers that can be remote-controlled simultaneously. The researchers took advantage of standard microelectronics-industry processes to make millions of nanotweezers—each composed of two magnetic particles fabricated layer by layer using lithography and attached with a gold nanohinge—at the same time. The tweezers open when a magnetic field is applied and close when the field is removed.

The nanotweezers were successfully tested while still attached to their silicon substrate. However, they could be dispersed in a solution for use in biomedicine, where they could be used to grip nano-sized biological materials.

Contact: helene.joisten@cea.fr

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