Magnetic field-responsive fibers

Advantages cited for fiber sensors include their small size and low cost. In contrast to electrical measurements, where the difference of two absolute potentials must be measured, fiber optics are self-contained and do not require an external reference signal. Because the signal is optical, there is no electrical risk to the patient, and there is no direct interference from surrounding electric or magnetic fields. Chemical analysis can be performed in real-time with almost an instantaneous response. Furthermore, versatile sensors can be developed that respond to multiple analytes by utilizing multiwavelength measurements. 

In this section, physical stimuli-responsive fibers will be introduced, which are composed of polymers responsive to temperature, light/UV, or electric/magnetic field, which enable on/off switching and reversible property changes of nanofibers. 

A third possibility is to apply a defined friction or torque while recording the detector response. This was achieved using the Lorentz force on a conductive cantilever in a magnetic field [284], using glass fibers of known stiffness [285, 286], or using especially designed micromechanical devices [287, 288]. 

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