Magnetic levitation as a micromanipulation technique for MEMS

A new micromanipulation technique is demonstrated using magnetic levitation. Millimeter-size microrobots are levitated and controlled in a volume of 3 × 3 × 2 cm³. A photothermal SU-8 microgripper was attached to the microrobot for manipulation operations. The motion of the microrobot is tested for automatic and manual trajectories and an rms accuracy of 13.2 ¿m is obtained. The microrobot is used for pick-and-place of a 125 ¿m diameter fiber optic cable. This non-contact positioning technique eliminates the problems associated with complex surface forces, thus provides repeatable operation. The use of magnetic fields allows dust-free operation which can be applied for manipulation of micro-mechanical and biological samples.