Propulsion of Planar V-Shaped Microswimmers in a Conically Rotating Magnetic Field

Planar magnetic microswimmers bear great potential for in vivo biomedical applications as they can be mass-produced at minimal costs using standard photolithography techniques. Therefore, it is central to understand how to control their motion. This study examines the propulsion of planar V-shaped microswimmers in an aqueous solution powered by a conically rotating magnetic field and compares the experimental results with theory. Propulsion is investigated upon altering the cone angle of the driving field. It is shown that a V-shaped microswimmer magnetized along its symmetry axis exhibits unidirectional in-sync propulsion with a constant (frequency-independent) velocity in a limited band of actuation frequencies. It is also demonstrated that the motion of individual and multiple in-plane magnetized planar microswimmers in a conically rotating field can be efficiently controlled. This study delves into the propulsion dynamics of V-shaped magnetic microswimmers using a conically rotating magnetic field. Researchers pinpoint consistent unidirectional propulsion within a frequency range. Bridging theory with practice, the results underscore the precise trajectory control of both individual microswimmers and swarms. These advancements indicate potential applications in areas like targeted drug delivery and more.image (c) 2023 WILEY-VCH GmbH