We demonstrate a rapid generation of twin opposing microvortices (TOMVs) induced by non-uniform alternating current (AC) electric fields together with a laser beam on a patterned pair of indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes. A fast and strong jet flow region between twin microvortices is also generated. Its pattern and direction, such as whether it is symmetric or asymmetric, are controlled mainly...

Manipulation of biological cells becomes increasingly important in biomedical engineering to address challenge issues in cell-cell interaction, drug discovery, and tissue engineering. Significant demand for both accuracy and productivity in cell manipulation highlights the need for automated cell transportation with integrated robotics and micro/nano manipulation technologies. Optical tweezers,...

In this paper, we propose a new experimental method to investigate the fatigue crack growth mechanisms of submicron-scale cracks by using freestanding single edge notched micro-beams that are fabricated on the surfaces of conventional bending specimens with the focused ion beam technique. Three dimensional FEM simulations in conjugate with LEFM fracture analysis were carried out to correlate th...

In this article, the size effect on the dynamic behavior of a simply supported multi-cracked microbeam is studied based on the Modified Couple Stress Theory (MCST).  At first, based on MCST, the equivalent torsional stiffness spring for every open edge crack at its location is calculated; in this regard, the Stress Intensity Factor (SIF) is al...

For suffi ciently small dimensions, the response of shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators is not independent of the sample size. The response of SMA single crystal micro/nanopillars is shown to depend on the size of the specimen. An increase in the critical stresses for the start and fi nish of austenite to martensite transformation is seen when reducing the diameter into the submicron region. In ...