Patent ID: 8768501

Claim:
A method for making magnetically actuated propellers (MAPs) configured to be moved by magnetic fields, the method comprising: providing a vapor source and a substrate in a vacuum chamber; rotating the substrate about an axis normal to a surface of the substrate at a rotation rate; directing a vapor flux having a flux rate from the vapor source in a direction toward the surface of the substrate to deposit at least one material on the surface of the substrate, with the surface of the substrate being positioned at an angle theta that is different from zero with respect to the direction from which the vapor flux is directed toward the substrate; monitoring the flux rate with a deposition-rate monitor to establish a deposition rate; controlling the deposition rate, the rotation rate, and the angle with a controller; governing the rotation rate and the angle to promote the growth of structures comprising at least one of a chiral structure, a helical structure, a propeller-like structure, and a screw-like structure; and releasing the structures from the substrate using a method comprising at least one of sonication, vibration, agitation, dissolution, and etching.