Magneto-mechanical resonance of a single superparamagnetic microbead trapped by a magnetic domain wall

Magnetic domain walls in ferromagnetic tracks can be used to trap and transport superparamagnetic beads for lab-on-a-chip applications. Here it is shown that the magnetostatic binding between a domain wall and a superparamagnetic bead suspended in a host fluid leads to a distinct magneto-mechanical resonance under application of a sinusoidal driving field. The characteristic resonant frequency depends on the ratio of the magnetostatic binding force to the viscous drag on the bead. This resonance has been experimentally detected for a single trapped superparamagnetic bead using an optical detection technique. VC 2012 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3672406]