On-chip micro/nanorobotic swimmers: fabrications, characterizations and applications

Micro/nanorobotic swimmers can serve as alternative microfluidic tools toward biologic or biomedical applications. We aim to develop highly energy efficient and fully controllable on-chip micro/nanorobotic swimmers with remote controlled functions such as cargo transport and sensing. In this talk, I will introduce our recently developed micro/nanorobotic swimmers with their fabrications by two-photon laser 3D nanolithography, mechanical property characterizations by in-situ scanning electron microscope nanomanipulation, and their microfluidic applications. Two applications to simulate their future in-vivo and lab-on-a-chip applications are demonstrated. First, the micro/nanorobotic swimmer serves as mobile micromanipulator inside microfluidic device to transpose microscale objects. Second, we demonstrate their physical sensing applications inside microfluidic control platform.