Microscopic magnetic probes that change shape in response to their environment may greatly enhance magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, producing the probes, which are still experimental and have not yet been used in humans, has required access to a cleanroom and expertise in nanofabrication, limiting their widespread use.
Now, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have taken these shape-shifting probes, known as geometrically encoded magnetic sensors, or GEMS, a step further by unveiling a novel fabrication method that is not only faster and cheaper but eliminates the need for specialized instruments.
The scientists reported their work online Dec. 19 in ACS Sensors.
Instead of building the tiny probes layer by layer in a nanofabrication facility, the team constructed them using a precision master mold. This technique allows researchers to make GEMS in their own laboratories using inexpensive materials and readily available equipment.
S. Kelley/NIST
