Magnetization reversal and dynamics in non-interacting NiFe mesoscopic ring arrays

The dynamics of magnetization (M) reversal and relaxation as a function of temperature (T) are reported in three non-interacting NiFe ring arrays having fixed ring outer diameter and varying widths. Additionally, the dependence of M(H) loop on the angle (theta) between magnetic field (H) and the plane of the rings is addressed. The M(H) loops show a double step transition from onion state (OS) to vortex state (VS) at all temperatures (T = 3 to 300 K) and angles (theta = 0 to 90 degrees). The critical reversal fields H-C1 (OS to VS) and H-C2 (VS to OS) show a pronounced dependence on T, ring width, and theta. Estimation of the transverse and vortex domain wall energies reveals that the latter is favored in the OS. The OS is also the remanent state in the smallest rings and decays with the effective energy scale (U-0/T) of 50 and 32 meV/K at 10 and 300 K, respectively. The robust in-plane anisotropy of magnetization of ring assemblies is established by scaling the M(H) with theta

The emergence of multifrequency force microscopy

Atomic force microscopy uses the deflection of a cantilever with a sharp tip to examine surfaces, and conventional dynamic force microscopy involves the excitation and detection of a single frequency component of the tip’s motion. Information about the properties of a sample is, however, encoded in the motion of the probe and the dynamics of the cantilever are highly nonlinear. Therefore, information included in the other frequency components is irreversibly lost. Multifrequency force microscopy involves the excitation and/or detection of several frequencies of the probe’s oscillation, and has the potential to overcome limitations in spatial resolution and acquisition times of conventional force microscopes. It could also provide new applications in fields such as energy storage and nanomedicine. Here we review the development of multifrequency force microscopy methods, highlighting the five most prominent approaches. We also examine the range of applications offered by the technique, which include mapping the flexibility of proteins, imaging the mechanical vibrations of carbonbased resonators, mapping ion diffusion, and imaging the subsurface of cells.We are grateful for financial support from the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (CSD2010-00024, MAT2009-08650).Peer reviewe

Ultrasensitive Multiplexed MicroRNA Quantification on Encoded Gel Microparticles Using Rolling Circle Amplification

There is great demand for flexible biomolecule analysis platforms that can precisely quantify very low levels of multiple targets directly in complex biological samples. Herein we demonstrate multiplexed quantification of microRNAs (miRNAs) on encoded hydrogel microparticles with subfemtomolar sensitivity and single-molecule reporting resolution. Rolling circle amplification (RCA) of a universal adapter sequence that is ligated to all miRNA targets captured on gel-embedded probes provides the ability to label each target with multiple fluorescent reporters and eliminates the possibility of amplification bias. The high degree of sensitivity achieved by the RCA scheme and the resistance to fouling afforded by the use of gel particles are leveraged to directly detect miRNA in small quantities of unprocessed human serum samples without the need for RNA extraction or target-amplification steps. This versatility has powerful implications for the development of rapid, noninvasive diagnostic assays.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (NIH Grant R21EB008814)Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvar