CheolGi Kim

Highly Efficient Bienzyme Functionalized Nanocomposite-Based Microfluidics Biosensor Platform for Biomedical Application

This report describes the fabrication of a novel microfluidics nanobiochip based on a composite comprising of nickel oxide nanoparticles (nNiO) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), as well as the chips use in a biomedical application. This nanocomposite was integrated with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microchannels, which were constructed using the photolithographic technique. A structural and morphological characterization of the fabricated microfluidics chip, which was functionalized with a bienzyme containing cholesterol oxidase (ChOx) and cholesterol esterase (ChEt), was accomplished using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy. The XPS studies revealed that 9.3% of the carboxyl (COOH) groups present in the nNiO-MWCNT composite are used to form amide bonds with the NH2 groups of the bienzyme. The response studies on this nanobiochip reveal good reproducibility and selectivity, and a high sensitivity of 2.2 mA/mM/cm2. This integrated microfluidics biochip provides a promising low-cost platform for the rapid detection of biomolecules using minute samples.

Magnetophoretic circuits for digital control of single particles and cells

The ability to manipulate small fluid droplets, colloidal particles and single cells with the precision and parallelization of modern-day computer hardware has profound applications for biochemical detection, gene sequencing, chemical synthesis and highly parallel analysis of single cells. Drawing inspiration from general circuit theory and magnetic bubble technology, here we demonstrate a class of integrated circuits for executing sequential and parallel, timed operations on an ensemble of single particles and cells. The integrated circuits are constructed from lithographically defined, overlaid patterns of magnetic film and current lines. The magnetic patterns passively control particles similar to electrical conductors, diodes and capacitors. The current lines actively switch particles between different tracks similar to gated electrical transistors. When combined into arrays and driven by a rotating magnetic field clock, these integrated circuits have general multiplexing properties and enable the precise control of magnetizable objects.

Magnetic Sensor System Using Asymmetric Giant Magnetoimpedance Head

Recently sensitive micro-magnetic sensors are strongly required in various technologies such as BT and IT. This paper gives the comprehensive analysis of the Asymmetric Giant MagnetoImpedance (AGMI) sensors performance with negative feedback. Asymmetrical behavior of the GMI is required for linear magnetic field sensors as the sensitivity and linearity for magnetic field are the most important parameters in the practical application of GMI to magnetic sensors, and this has been realized by magnetic field annealing in amorphous ribbon. A novel AGMI sensor was developed and the performance of the sensor was carefully studied with and without applying negative feedback. The sensor uses 10 mm times 1 mm times 20 mum Co66Fe4Si15B15 ribbon as a sensing element. On applying the negative feedback the sensor shows excellent linearity free from hysteresis, independent of temperature variations. The sensitivity AGMI sensor was found to be 0.27 V/Oe in dynamic range of -2 ~ 2 Oe.

Translocation of bio-functionalized magnetic beads using smart magnetophoresis

We demonstrate real time on-chip translocation of bio-functionalized superparamagnetic beads on a silicon surface in a solution using a magnetophoresis technique. The superparamagnetic beads act as biomolecule carriers. Fluorescent-labeled Atto-520 biotin was loaded to streptavidin-coated magnetic beads (Dynabead(®) M-280) by means of ligand-receptor interactions. The magnetic pathways were patterned lithographically such that semi-elliptical Ni(80)Fe(20) elements were arranged sequentially for a few hundred micrometers in length. An external rotating magnetic field was used to drive translational forces on the magnetic beads that were proportional to the product of the field strength and its gradient. The translational force at the curving edge of the pathway element of 6 μm diameter was calculated to be ∼1.2 pN for an applied field of 7.9 kA m(-1). However, the force at the flat edge was calculated to be ∼0.16 pN. The translational force was larger than the drag force and thus allowed the magnetic beads to move in a directional way along the curving edge of the pathway. However, the force was not sufficient to move the beads along the flat edge. The top and bottom curving edge semi-elliptical NiFe pathways were obliquely-arranged on the left and right sides of the converging site, respectively. This caused a central translational force that allowed the converging and diverging of the Atto-520 biotin loaded streptavidin magnetic beads at a particular site.

Soft chemical synthesis and characterization of Ni0.65Zn0.35Fe2O4 nanoparticles

Mixed ferrite nanoparticles of Ni0.65Zn0.35Fe2O4 using metal nitrates were prepared by three different low temperature methods of sol gel in polyvinyl alcohol matrix, coprecipitation with NaOH as coprecipitating base, and sol gel in citric acid matrix, separately to estimate the influence of synthesis on the structural and magnetic parameters of this high saturation magnetization NiZn ferrite composition. In the final stage of the synthesis, the coprecipitated sample was washed and filtered several times before drying and finally heat treated at 350°C for 1h to get the ultrafine powder. Whereas the other two samples, which were transformed into dried gel after mixing and drying, were heat treated at 350°C for 1h, respectively, to find out the dried gel burnt out in a self-propagating combustion manner to form a fluffy powder. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometer measurements are performed on all three samples. Though the composition is the same for all thr...

A model for asymmetric giant magnetoimpedance in field-annealed amorphous ribbons

A phenomenological model for the asymmetric giant magnetoimpedance (GMI) in field-annealed amorphous ribbons is developed. The effect of a surface crystalline layer on the GMI response is described in terms of an effective bias field appearing due to a coupling between the crystalline layer and amorphous phase. It is shown that the presence of the bias field changes drastically the GMI profile. At low frequencies, the domain-walls motion leads to a steplike change in the GMI response. At high frequencies, the domain-walls motion is damped, and the GMI profile exhibits asymmetric two-peak behavior. The calculated dependences are shown to be in a qualitative agreement with results of experimental studies of the asymmetric GMI in field-annealed Co-based amorphous ribbons.

Electrochemical biosensor for Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA detection based on gold nanotubes array electrode platform

The template assisted electrochemical deposition technique was used for the synthesis of gold nanotubes array (AuNTsA). The morphological structure of the synthesized AuNTsA was observed by scanning electron microscopy and found that the individual nanotubes are around 1.5 μm in length with a diameter of 200 nm. Nanotubes are vertically aligned to the Au thick film, which is formed during the synthesis process of nanotubes. The electrochemical performance of the AuNTsA was compared with the bare Au electrode and found that AuNTsA has better electron transfer surface than bare Au electrode which is due to the high surface area. Hence, the AuNTsA was used as an electrode for the fabrication of DNA hybridization biosensor for detection of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis DNA. The DNA hybridization biosensor constructed by AuNTsA electrode was characterized by cyclic voltammetry technique with Fe(CN)6(3-/4-) as an electrochemical redox indicator. The selectivity of the fabricated biosensor was illustrated by hybridization with complementary DNA and non-complementary DNA with probe DNA immobilized AuNTsA electrode using methylene blue as a hybridization indicator. The developed electrochemical DNA biosensor shows good linear range of complementary DNA concentration from 0.01 ng/μL to 100 ng/μL with high detection limit.

Room temperature magnetic detection of spin switching in nanosized spin-crossover materials.

Recently, nanoscale spin-crossover (SCO) particles have been the subject of great interest. The change in the 3d electronic configuration of the metal ion results in significant changes in the metal-ligand bond length and geometry, as well as in the molecular volume. Hence the spin switching process is accompanied by a remarkable change in the color, mechanical properties, dielectric properties, and magnetic susceptibility. The synthesis and investigation of these materials at reduced length scales is central not only to the exploration of fundamental effects of size reduction in these systems, but also for the development of new functional materials with applications, including guest molecule sensing, memory devices, and molecular switches

High field-sensitivity planar Hall sensor based on NiFe/Cu/IrMn trilayer structure

A trilayer structure, which has weak exchange coupling and high active current, has been optimized emphasizing for high field-sensitivity planar Hall effect (PHE) sensor. To illustrate the high field sensitivity of the PHE sensor, three different structures are fabricated: a bilayer thin film Ta(3)/NiFe(10)/IrMn(10)/Ta(3) (nm), a spin-valve thin film Ta(3)/NiFe(10)/Cu(1.2)/NiFe(2)/IrMn(10)/Ta(3) (nm), and a trilayer thin film Ta(3)/NiFe(10)/Cu(0.12)/IrMn(10)/Ta(3) (nm). The characterized results reveal that the field sensitivity of PHE sensor based on trilayer thin film is about one order larger than that of bilayer and is about twice larger than that of spin-valve thin film. Moreover, in trilayer structure, the thinner spacer layer gives the better performance. When the nominal thickness of spacer Cu layer is the smallest, the PHE sensor exhibits the best performance, i.e., in this experiment, it is about 0.12 nm.

The role of exchange coupling on the giant magnetoimpedance of annealed amorphous materials

The characteristics of giant magnetoimpedance (GMI) profiles were measured in annealed amorphous Co66Fe4B15Si15 ribbons in the open air as functions of annealing time, temperature and field. The GMI profile measured at 0.1 MHz exhibits a drastic step-like change, the so-called ‘‘GMI-valve’’ in samples produced with the optimum annealing parameters: time taX8 h, temperature TaE3801C and in the weak-field range, 0: 5O epHap 3O e: The GMI-valve is related to an exchange coupling of a bias-field with the magnetization of the soft amorphous phase, where the bias-field is caused by HCP-Co, FCC-Co and/or Co2Si crystalline phases in a B and Si depleted layer. r 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.