Magnetic cantilever actuator with sharpened magnetic thin film ellipses

A SiO₂ cantilever covered by elliptical magnetic thin films was designed as an actuator. Under magnetic field, the elliptical magnetic film with sharp ends would exhibit single-domain structures and generate torque to push or pull the two arms of the cantilever. The cantilever could then stretch or compress and the displacement could be controlled by adjusting the magnitude and direction of the external magnetic field. The combination between micromagnetism of patterned films and actuator was successfully demonstrated. The magnetic actuator can be applied for future application in the biological field and would be valuable for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS).