Controlling and Probing Dynamics, Phase Transitions and Collective Behavior of Active Matter with Magnetic Tweezers

Active particles refer to any objects such as birds, bacteria or small machines (robots) that have capability to move around independently and interact with their surroundings. The motility of such objects can have biological functions and can be harnessed for developing advanced technologies in near future. In this project, we will study fundamentals of such active particles from perspective of physics. We will utilize magnets to trap individual active particles and study their behavior under confinement - revealing us new information on their motility. We continue to increase the number of the active particles in the magnetic trap and aim at understanding their collective motion. By carrying out these investigations, we take steps towards understanding the physical limits of active particles with utilization value in e.g. microbiological applications related to cell sorting and purification (for improved medical care).