Detection of Defect‐Induced Magnetism in Low‐Dimensional ZnO Structures by Magnetophotocurrent

The detection of defect‐induced magnetic order in single low‐dimensional oxide structures is in general difficult because of the relatively small yield of magnetically ordered regions. In this work, the effect of an external magnetic field on the transient photocurrent measured after light irradiation on different ZnO samples at room temperature is studied. It has been found that a magnetic field produces a change in the relaxation rate of the transient photocurrent only in magnetically ordered ZnO samples. This rate can decrease or increase with field, depending on whether the magnetically ordered region is in the bulk or only at the surface of the ZnO sample. The phenomenon reported here is of importance for the development of magneto‐optical low‐dimensional oxides devices and provides a new guideline for the detection of magnetic order in low‐dimensional magnetic semiconductors.     

Multifunctional Janus Microplates Arrays Actuated by Magnetic Fields for Water/Light Switches and Bio‐Inspired Assimilatory Coloration

Smart dynamic regulation structured surfaces, inspired by nature, which can dynamically change their surface topographies under external stimuli for convertible fluidic and optical properties, have recently motivated significant interest for scientific research and industrial applications. However, there is still high demand for the development of multifunctional dynamically transformable surfaces using facile preparation strategies. In this work, a type of Janus high‐aspect‐ratio magnetically responsive microplates array (HAR‐MMA) is readily fabricated by integrating a flexible laser scanning strategy, smart shape‐memory‐polymer‐based soft transfer, and a simple surface treatment. By applying external magnetic field, instantaneous and reversible deformation of Janus HAR‐MMA can be actuated, so surface wettability can be reversibly switched between superhydrophobic (158°) and hydrophilic (40°) states, based on which a novel magnetically responsive water droplet switch can be realized. Moreover, inspired by the biological assimilatory coloration of chameleons, dynamically color conversion can be skillfully realized by applying different colors on each side of the Janus HAR‐MMA. Finally, as a proof‐of‐concept demonstration in light manipulation, a HAR‐MMA is applied as an optical shutter actuated by external magnetic field with eximious controllability and repeatability. The developed multifunctional HAR‐MMA provides a versatile platform for microfluidic, biomedical, and optical applications.     

Magnetically Responsive Elastomer–Silicon Hybrid Surfaces for Fluid and Light Manipulation

Stimuli‐responsive surfaces with tunable fluidic and optical properties utilizing switchable surface topography are of significant interest for both scientific and engineering research. This work presents a surface involving silicon scales on a magnetically responsive elastomer micropillar array, which enables fluid and light manipulation. To integrate microfabricated silicon scales with ferromagnetic elastomer micropillars, transfer printing‐based deterministic assembly is adopted. The functional properties of the surface are completely dictated by the scales with optimized lithographic patterns while the micropillar array is magnetically actuated with large‐range, instantaneous, and reversible deformation. Multiple functions, such as tunable wetting, droplet manipulation, tunable optical transmission, and structural coloration, are designed, characterized, and analyzed by incorporating a wide range of scales (e.g., bare silicon, black silicon, photonic crystal scales) in both in‐plane and out‐of‐plane configurations.     

Optical properties of polarizable linear magneto-micropolar fluid

General optical properties of the polarizable linear Magneto-Micropolar fluids are investigated. The constitutive dielectric tensor is generalized to include the effect of magnetic field and gyration vector. The general expression for the refractive index is obtained. When the optical effect of the magnetic field and gyration are negligible, the fluid shows the same birefringent phenomena as a Stokesian fluid and when the effect of the magnetic field or gyration is dominant, the fluid shows double circular refraction. The coupling effect of the magnetic field and gyration vector is considered and the special cases of slow motion and small conductivity are also discussed.     

Chiromagnetic Plasmonic Nanoassemblies with Magnetic Field Modulated Chiral Activity

Chiral plasmonic nanoassemblies, which exhibit outstanding chiroptical activity in the visible or near‐infrared region, are popular candidates in molecular sensing, polarized nanophotonics, and biomedical applications. Their optical chirality can be modulated by manipulating chemical molecule stimuli or replacing the building blocks. However, instead of irreversible chemical or material changes, real‐time control of optical activity is desired for reversible and noninvasive physical regulating methods, which is a challenging research field. Here, the directionally and reversibly switching optical chirality of magneto‐plasmonic nanoassemblies is demonstrated by the application of an external magnetic field. The gold‐magnetic nanoparticles core–satellite (Au@Fe₃O₄) nanostructures exhibit chiral activity in the UV–visible range, and the circular dichroism signal is 12 times greater under the magnetic field. Significantly, the chiral signal can be reversed by regulating the direction of the applied magnetic field. The attained magnetic field‐regulated chirality is attributed to the large contributions of the magnetic dipole moments to polarization rotation. This magnetic field‐modulated optical activity may be pivotal for photonic devices, information communication, as well as chiral metamaterials.     

Magnetically Powered Annelid‐Worm‐Like Microswimmers

A bioinspired magnetically powered microswimmer is designed and experimentally demonstrated by mimicking the morphology of annelid worms. The structural parameters of the microswimmer, such as the surface wrinkling, can be controlled by applying prestrain on substrate for the precise fabrication and consistent performance of the microswimmers. The resulting annelid‐worm‐like microswimmers display efficient propulsion under an oscillating magnetic field, reaching a peak speed of ≈100 µm s^?1. The speed and directionality of the microswimmer can be readily controlled by changing the parameters of the field inputs. Additionally, it is demonstrated that the microswimmers are able to transport microparticles toward a predefined destination, although the translation velocity is inevitably reduced due to the additional hydrodynamic resistance of the microparticles. These annelid‐worm‐like microswimmers have excellent mobility, good maneuverability, and strong transport capacity, and they hold considerable promise for diverse biomedical, chemical sensing, and environmental applications.     

Photonic Microhand with Autonomous Action

Grabbing and holding objects at the microscale is a complex function, even for microscopic living animals. Inspired by the hominid‐type hand, a microscopic equivalent able to catch microelements is engineered. This microhand is light sensitive and can be either remotely controlled by optical illumination or can act autonomously and grab small particles on the basis of their optical properties. Since the energy is delivered optically, without the need for wires or batteries, the artificial hand can be shrunk down to the micrometer scale. Soft material is used, in particular, a custom‐made liquid‐crystal network that is patterned by a photolithographic technique. The elastic reshaping properties of this material allow finger movement, using environmental light as the only energy source. The hand can be either controlled externally (via the light field), or else the conditions in which it autonomously grabs a particle in its vicinity can be created. This microrobot has the unique feature that it can distinguish between particles of different colors and gray levels. The realization of this autonomous hand constitutes a crucial element in the development of microscopic creatures that can perform tasks without human intervention and self‐organized automation at the micrometer scale.     

Capillary‐Assisted Fabrication of Biconcave Polymeric Microlenses from Microfluidic Ternary Emulsion Droplets

In this study, a simple capillary‐based approach for producing biconcave polymeric microlenses with uniform size and shape from ternary emulsion droplets is presented. Monodisperse ternary emulsion droplets (0.6–4.0 nL) are produced which contain a photocurable segment of an acrylate monomer and two non‐curable segments of silicone oil (SO) by using a microfluidic sheath‐flowing droplet generator on a glass chip. The curvature radius of the interfaces separating the droplet segments, as well as the droplet size, and production rate can be flexibly varied by changing the flow conditions of the organic and aqueous phases. Subsequently, off‐chip suspension photopolymerization yields non‐spherical polymeric microparticles with two spherical concave surfaces templated by two SO segments at random positions. By ultraviolet light irradiation of ternary droplets with two SO segments trapped by the interior wall of a cylindrical microcapillary (internal diameter: 130 μm), biconcave microlenses can be produced with two spherical concave surfaces with a common lens axis. The produced lenses are suitable for use as optical diverging lenses.     

Single‐Stimulus‐Induced Modulation of Multiple Optical Properties

Stimuli‐responsive smart optical materials hold great promise for applications in active optics, display, sensing, energy conversion, military camouflage, and artificial intelligence. However, their applications are greatly restricted by the difficulty of tuning different optical properties within the same material, especially by a single stimulus. Here, magnetic modulations of multiple optical properties are demonstrated in a crystalline colloidal array (CCA) of magnetic nanorods. Small‐angle X‐ray scattering studies reveal that these nanorods form an unusual monoclinic crystal in concentrated suspensions. The CCA exhibits optical anisotropy in the form of a photonic bandgap and birefringence, thus enabling magnetic tuning of the structural color and transmittance at a rate of 50 Hz. As a proof‐of‐concept, it is further demonstrated that the fabrication of a multifunctional device for display, anticounterfeiting, and smart‐window applications based on this multiple magneto‐optical effect. The study not only provides a new model system for understanding colloidal assembly, but also opens up opportunities for new applications of smart optical materials for various purposes.     

Assembly and Transport of Microscopic Cargos via Reconfigurable Photoactivated Magnetic Microdockers

The realization of micromotors able to dock and transport microscopic objects in a fluid medium has direct applications toward the delivery of drugs and chemicals in small channels and pores, and the realization of functional wireless microrobots in lab‐on‐a‐chip technology. A simple and general method to tow microscopic particles in water by using remotely controllable light‐activated hematite microdockers is demonstrated. These anisotropic ferromagnetic particles can be synthesized in bulk and present the remarkable ability to be activated by light while independently manipulated via external fields. The photoactivation process induces a phoretic flow capable to attract cargos toward the surface of the propellers, while a rotating magnetic field is used to transport the composite particles to any location of the experimental platform. The method allows the assembling of small colloidal clusters of various sizes, composed by a skeleton of mobile magnetic dockers, which cooperatively keep, transport, and release the microscopic cargos. The possibility to easily reconfigure in situ the location of the docker above the cargo is demonstrated, which enables optimize transport and cargo release operations.     

Janus Magnetic‐Plasmonic Nanoparticles for Magnetically Guided and Thermally Activated Cancer Therapy

Progress of thermal tumor therapies and their translation into clinical practice are limited by insufficient nanoparticle concentration to release therapeutic heating at the tumor site after systemic administration. Herein, the use of Janus magneto‐plasmonic nanoparticles, made of gold nanostars and iron oxide nanospheres, as efficient therapeutic nanoheaters whose on‐site delivery can be improved by magnetic targeting, is proposed. Single and combined magneto‐ and photo‐thermal heating properties of Janus nanoparticles render them as compelling heating elements, depending on the nanoparticle dose, magnetic lobe size, and milieu conditions. In cancer cells, a much more effective effect is observed for photothermia compared to magnetic hyperthermia, while combination of the two modalities into a magneto‐photothermal treatment results in a synergistic cytotoxic effect in vitro. The high potential of the Janus nanoparticles for magnetic guiding confirms them to be excellent nanostructures for in vivo magnetically enhanced photothermal therapy, leading to efficient tumor growth inhibition.     

Magnetic Domains and Twin Boundary Movement of NiMnGa Magnetic Shape Memory Crystals

Time‐resolved metallographic optical microscopy techniques are used together with magnetic domain imaging to clarify the interaction between magnetic domains and twin boundary (TB) motion in magnetic shape memory NiMnGa single crystals. The magnetic field and stress induced magnetic domain formation is imaged by a magneto‐optical indicator film technique. Reversible TB motion is visualized up to high actuation speeds. From domain observation at adjacent crystal surfaces the fundamental volume magnetic processes during strain and field induced TB motions are derived. For magnetic field induced structural reorientations a concurrent absence of magnetic domain wall motion is found. In contrast, for strain induced reorientations processes, a complete rearrangement of the magnetic domain structure by the moving TB is observed. Dynamic actuation experiments on TB motion reveal non‐linear time effects on TB mobility. In addition to training effects, the maximum field induced strain increases with actuation speed. Both effects can be interpreted as the interaction of moving twin boundaries with local non‐fixed defects. The summarized results provide key information for the understanding of the connection of magnetic and crystallographic domains in magnetic shape memory alloys and for the optimization of devices for future technical applications.     

磁场调制直接重写磁光存储介质的记录特性研究

用直流共溅射方法制备了富稀土－过渡族金属非晶态合金薄膜，用数值计算的方法计算了激光照射下多层膜结构盘片的温度场分布，分析了盘片材料成分和结构对热磁记录的影响，对盘片结构进行了优化设计并选定了合适的磁光层和电介质层厚度。实验盘片可在低偏场和低激光功率下记录，盘片的读写性能基本符合２．５英雨可擦重写磁光盘（ＭｉｎｉＤｉｓｋ）的使用要求。     

Magneto‐Photoluminescence Based on Two‐Photon Excitation in Lanthanide‐Doped Up‐Conversion Crystal Particles

Experimental studies on magneto‐photoluminescence based on two‐photon excitation in up‐conversion Y₂O₂S:Er, Yb crystal particles are reported. It is found that the up‐conversion photoluminescence generated by two‐photon excitation exhibits magnetic field effects at room temperature, leading to a two‐photon excitation‐induced magneto‐photoluminescence, when the two‐photon excitation exceeds the critical intensity. By considering the spin selection rule in electronic transitions, it is proposed that spin‐antiparallel and spin‐parallel transition dipoles with spin mixing are accountable for the observed magneto‐photoluminescence. Specifically, the two‐photon excitation generates spin‐antiparallel electric dipoles between ⁴S_3/2–⁴I_15/2 in Er³⁺ ions. The antiparallel spins are conserved by exchange interaction within dipoles. When the photoexcitation exceeds the critical intensity, the Coulomb screening can decrease the exchange interaction. Consequently, the spin–orbital coupling can partially convert the antiparallel dipoles into parallel dipoles, generating a spin mixing. Eventually, the populations between antiparallel and parallel dipoles reach an equilibrium established by the competition between exchange interaction and spin–orbital coupling. Applying a magnetic field can break the equilibrium by disturbing spin mixing through introducing spin precessions, changing the spin populations on antiparallel and parallel dipoles and leading to the magneto‐photoluminescence. Therefore, spin‐dependent transition dipoles present a convenient mechanism to realize magneto‐photoluminescence in multiphoton up‐conversion crystal particles.     

Shape-Anisotropic Nickel-PDMS Composites with Uniaxial Magnetic Anisotropy Obtained by Emulsification Under Magnetic Field

Magnetic microcomposites were fabricated by emulsification of a mixture of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and nickel microparticles. The composites were obtained in a temperature-controlled water-surfactant media with and without the influence of an external magnetic field. The presence of a moderate external magnetic field of 80 G (8 mT) during the polymerization stage leads to the arrangement of nickel microparticles into chains that form the magnetic core of the synthesized composites. The method allows controlling the shape of the composite particles by applying a magnetic field and varying the stirring speed. Three shapes of composite particles, namely spherical, teardrops, and ellipsoidal, were obtained and magnetically characterized. Room temperature hysteresis loops and dM/dH versus H curves in the second-to-third quadrants show that spherical particles are isotropic while non-spherical particles show an induced uniaxial magnetic anisotropy which depends on the shape of the resulting composite particles.     

Rapid,High‐Resolution Magnetic Microscopy of Single Magnetic Microbeads

Magnetic microparticles or “beads” are used in a variety of research applications from cell sorting through to optical force traction microscopy. The magnetic properties of such particles can be tailored for specific applications with the uniformity of individual beads critical to their function. However, the majority of magnetic characterization techniques quantify the magnetic properties from large bead ensembles. Developing new magnetic imaging techniques to evaluate and visualize the magnetic fields from single beads will allow detailed insight into the magnetic uniformity, anisotropy, and alignment of magnetic domains. Here, diamond‐based magnetic microscopy is applied to image and characterize individual magnetic beads with varying magnetic and structural properties: ferromagnetic and superparamagnetic/paramagnetic, shell (coated with magnetic material), and solid (magnetic material dispersed in matrix). The single‐bead magnetic images identify irregularities in the magnetic profiles from individual bead populations. Magnetic simulations account for the varying magnetic profiles and allow to infer the magnetization of individual beads. Additionally, this work shows that the imaging technique can be adapted to achieve illumination‐free tracking of magnetic beads, opening the possibility of tracking cell movements and mechanics in photosensitive contexts.     

Measurement of the complex refractive-index spectrum for birefringent and absorptive liquids

The optical constants of birefringent and/or opaque liquids, e.g., liquid crystals and magnetic fluids, are difficult to measure at wavelengths at which a strong light source such as a laser or an arc lamp is not accessible. The refractive index n and the extinction coefficient kappa of these liquids can be simultaneously evaluated from the reflectance curves that are measured in the large incident angle range. A semicylindrical sample cell allows the spectral reflectance measurement with a weak light source even at large incident angles. By using this method, we evaluated the ordinary and the extraordinary indices of a nematic liquid crystal in the continuous wavelength range of 0.55-1.60 mum. The complex refractive indices of magnetic fluids were also evaluated, and the affect of the magnetic field was demonstrated.     

Light distribution close to focus in biaxially birefringent media

The effect of focusing into a biaxially birefringent medium on the light distribution in the focal region of a high-NA optical system is investigated with the Debye approach to vectorial diffraction theory. Attention is limited to media with small birefringence. The electric field in the focal region is the sum of the field of the two polarization eigenmodes of the biaxially birefringent medium. Both modes are generally astigmatically aberrated, are defocused with respect to each other, and have a polarization field that is nonuniform over the pupil. The diffraction integrals are calculated numerically on the basis of an expansion of the field close to focus in terms of partial waves.     

Unidirectional Wetting Properties on Multi‐Bioinspired Magnetocontrollable Slippery Microcilia

Here, a smart fluid‐controlled surface is designed, via the rational integration of the unique properties of three natural examples, i.e., the unidirectional wetting behaviors of butterfly's wing, liquid‐infused “slippery” surface of the pitcher plant, and the motile microcilia of micro‐organisms. Anisotropic wettability, lubricated surfaces, and magnetoresponsive microstructures are assembled into one unified system. The as‐prepared surface covered by tilted microcilia achieves significant unidirectional droplet adhesion and sliding. Regulating by external magnet field, the directionality of ferromagnetic microcilia can be synergistically switched, which facilitates a continuous and omnidirectional‐controllable water delivery. This work opens an avenue for applications of anisotropic wetting surfaces, such as complex‐flow distribution and liquid delivery, and extend the design approach of multi‐bioinspiration integration.     

Nonlinear and magneto-optical transmission studies on magnetic nanofluids of non-interacting metallic nickel nanoparticles

Oxide free stable metallic nanofluids have the potential for various applications such as in thermal management and inkjet printing apart from being a candidate system for fundamental studies. A stable suspension of nickel nanoparticles of ～ 5 nm size has been realized by a modified two-step synthesis route. Structural characterization by x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy shows that the nanoparticles are metallic and are phase pure. The nanoparticles exhibited superparamagnetic properties. The magneto-optical transmission properties of the nickel nanofluid (Ni-F) were investigated by linear optical dichroism measurements. The magnetic field dependent light transmission studies exhibited a polarization dependent optical absorption, known as optical dichroism, indicating that the nanoparticles suspended in the fluid are non-interacting and superparamagnetic in nature. The nonlinear optical limiting properties of Ni-F under high input optical fluence were then analyzed by an open aperture z-scan technique. The Ni-F exhibits a saturable absorption at moderate laser intensities while effective two-photon absorption is evident at higher intensities. The Ni-F appears to be a unique material for various optical devices such as field modulated gratings and optical switches which can be controlled by an external magnetic field.