Photopatternable NdFeB polymer micromagnets for microfluidics and microrobotics applications

Microscale sensors and transducers based on magnetic forces can be used to provide wireless, contamination-free interaction with micro- and nanoenvironments. However, integration of magnetic components with typical microfabrication processes can be challenging. Here we show the creation and characterization of polymer micromagnets that can be utilized in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), microfluidics, microassembly and microrobotics applications. These magnets can be patterned using standard UV lithography, are inexpensive to manufacture, and require limited equipment to produce. We demonstrate the creation of polymer micromagnets with 3 m feature resolution and greater than 10:1 aspect ratio, the controlled movement of freestanding structures using contact-free applied magnetic fields, and the fabrication of novel 'hybrid' magnetic microstructures with controlled heterogeneity of magnetic properties.