# US 7,406,859 B2 · Adaptable end effector for atomic force microscopy based nano robotic manipulators

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- Number: US 7,406,859 B2
- Document ID: US7406859B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/399,690
- Filed: 2006-04-06
- Published: 2006-10-12
- Granted: 2008-08-05
- Earliest claimed: 2005-04-06
- Assignees: Board of Trustees operating Michigan State University
- Inventors: Ning Xi; Guangyong Li; Jiangbo Zhang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7406859B2

## CPC

- B82B 3/00: Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures by manipulation of individual atoms or molecules, or limited collections of atoms or molecules as discrete units
- G01Q 10/065: {Feedback mechanisms, i.e. wherein the signal for driving the probe is modified by a signal coming from the probe itself}
- G01Q 60/38: Probes, their manufacture, or their related instrumentation, e.g. holders
- G01Q 80/00: Applications, other than SPM, of scanning-probe techniques (manufacture or treatment of nanostructures B82B3/00; recording or reproducing information using near-field interaction G11B9/12, G11B11/24, G11B13/08)
- B82B: NANOSTRUCTURES FORMED BY MANIPULATION OF INDIVIDUAL ATOMS, MOLECULES, OR LIMITED COLLECTIONS OF ATOMS OR MOLECULES AS DISCRETE UNITS; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT THEREOF
- G01Q: SCANNING-PROBE TECHNIQUES OR APPARATUS; APPLICATIONS OF SCANNING-PROBE TECHNIQUES, e.g. SCANNING PROBE MICROSCOPY [SPM]

## Abstract

An improved nanomanipulation system is provided for performing nanomanipulation operations in relation to a sample surface. The system includes: an atomic force microscope having a probe for performing nanomanipulation operations on the sample surface, where the probe includes a cantilever having a layer of piezoelectric material; a position detector configured to ascertain deformation of the cantilever during a nanomanipulation operation; and an adaptable end effector controller adapted to receive data indicative of the deformation from the position detector and implements a control scheme based on the deformation data. The control scheme produces a control signal that is applied to the piezoelectric material of the cantilever, thereby maintaining the straight shape of the cantilever during the nanomanipulation operation.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A nanomanipulation system for performing nanomanipulation operations in relation to a sample surface, comprising:
an atomic force microscope having a probe for performing nanomanipulation operations on the sample surface, where the probe includes a cantilever having a layer of piezoelectric material;
a position detector configured to ascertain deformation of the cantilever during a nanomanipulation operation;
an active probe controller adapted to receive data indicative of the deformation from the position detector and implements a control scheme based on the deformation data which maintains rigidity of the cantilever during the nanomanipulation operation, wherein the control scheme produces a control signal that is applied to the piezoelectric material of the cantilever.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The nanomanipulation system of claim 1 wherein the probe further include a tip extending outwardly from the cantilever for manipulating objects on the sample surface, such that the deformation of the cantilever is caused by an interaction force applied to the tip during the nanomanipulation operation.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The nanomanipulation system of claim 2 wherein the cantilever is a substantially rectangular plate made of a silicon material and having a protruding finger, wherein the piezoelectric material is applied to at least one side of the rectangular plate.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The nanomanipulation system of claim 3 wherein the tip is disposed at a distal end of the protruding finger and extends outwardly in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal surface of the rectangular plate.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The nanomanipulation system of claim 2 further comprises a microscope controller adapted to receive the control signal from the probe controller and operable to determining force data for interaction forces that are being applied to the tip during the nanomanipulation operation, where the force data is derived from the control signal along at least two perpendicularly arranged axis.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The nanomanipulation system of claim 5 further comprises a data store for storing an image model representing the topography of the sample surface, where the microscope controller is operable to update the image model based on said force data.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The nanomanipulation system of claim 6 further comprises a display in data communication with the microscope controller and operator to display the image model to an operator of the atomic force microscope during the nanomanipulation operation.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The nanomanipulation system of claim 1 wherein the control signal is further defined as a voltage applied to the piezoelectric material which causes a deformation of the cantilever structure that counteracts the deformation caused by the interaction force and detected by the position detector.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The nanomanipulation system of claim 1 wherein the control scheme employs a proportional derivative control technique.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The nanomanipulation system of claim 1 wherein the control scheme is further defined as
V(t)=Kv({dot over (y)}d−{dot over (y)})+Kp(yd−y)
where y is the transverse deflection of the cantilever, yd is the desired trajectory of the cantilever, Kv is the derivative gain and Kp is the proportional gain.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The nanomanipulation system of claim 1 wherein the control scheme employs a linear quadratic regulator control technique for controlling multiple vibration modes of the cantilever, where each vibration mode is estimated from the measured deformation of the cantilever.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The nanomanipulation system of claim 11 wherein the vibration modes are estimated in accordance with
{circumflex over ({dot over (x)}=(A−LC){circumflex over (x)}+Ly+Bu
where u is the voltage signal applied to the piezoelectric material, {circumflex over (x)} is the estimated state for the vibration modes, and y is the transverse deflection of the cantilever.

### Claim 13

A control scheme for a probe of an atomic force microscope in a nanomanipulation system, where the probe includes a cantilever structure having a piezoelectric material applied thereto, comprising:
detecting transverse deflection at an end of the cantilever structure during a nanomanipulation operation, where the deflection is caused by an interaction force between a tip of the probe and a manipulated object;
defining a desired deflection of the cantilever to be zero; and
generating a control signal based on the desired deflection, where the control signal is applied to the piezoelectric material of the cantilever.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The control scheme of claim 13 further comprises determining force data for interaction forces that are being applied to the tip during the nanomanipulation operation, where the force data is derived from the control signal along at least two perpendicularly arranged axis.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The control scheme of claim 14 further comprises updating an image model based on the force data, where the image model represents the topography of a sample surface.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The control scheme of claim 13 wherein generating a control signal is based on a proportional derivative control technique defined as
V(t)=Kv({dot over (y)}d−{dot over (y)})+Kp(yd−y)
where y is the transverse deflection of the cantilever, yd is the desired trajectory of the cantilever, Kv is the derivative gain and Kp is the proportional gain.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The control scheme of claim 13 wherein generating a control signal is based on a linear quadratic regulator control technique that a linear quadratic regulator control technique for controlling multiple vibration modes of the cantilever, where each vibration mode is estimated from the measured deformation of the cantilever.

### Claim 18

A nanomanipulation system for performing nanomanipulation operations in relation to a sample surface, comprising:
an atomic force microscope having a probe for performing nanomanipulation operations on the sample surface, where the probe includes a cantilever having a layer of piezoelectric material;
a position detector configured to detect bending of the cantilever during a nanomanipulation operation;
an active probe controller adapted to receive data indicative of the bending from the position detector and implements a control scheme based on maintaining a desired deflection of the cantilever at zero during the nanomanipulation operation.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The nanomanipulation system of claim 18 wherein the probe further include a tip extending outwardly from the cantilever for manipulating objects on the sample surface, such that the bending of the cantilever is caused by an interaction force applied to the tip during the nanomanipulation operation.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The nanomanipulation system of claim 19, wherein the cantilever is a substantially rectangular plate made of a silicon material and having a protruding finger, wherein the piezoelectric material is applied to at least one side of the rectangular plate.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The nanomanipulation system of claim 20 wherein the tip is disposed at a distal end of the protruding finger and extends outwardly in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal surface of the rectangular plate.

### Claim 22 (depends on 19)

The nanomanipulation system of claim 19 further comprises a microscope controller adapted to receive the control signal from the probe controller and operable to determining force data for interaction forces that are being applied to the tip during the nanomanipulation operation, where the force data is derived from the control signal along at least two perpendicularly arranged axis.

### Claim 23 (depends on 18)

The nanomanipulation system of claim 18 wherein the control scheme produces a control signal that is applied to the piezoelectric material which causes a deformation of the cantilever structure that counteracts the bending detected by the position detector.

### Claim 24 (depends on 18)

The nanomanipulation system of claim 18 wherein the control scheme employs a proportional derivative control technique further defined as
V(t)=Kv({dot over (y)}d−{dot over (y)})+Kp(yd−y)
where y is the transverse deflection of the cantilever, yd is the desired trajectory of the cantilever, Kv is the derivative gain and Kp is the proportional gain.

### Claim 25 (depends on 18)

The nanomanipulation system of claim 18 wherein the control scheme employs a linear quadratic regulator control technique for controlling multiple vibration modes of the cantilever, where each vibration mode is estimated from the measured deformation of the cantilever.

### Claim 26 (depends on 22)

The nanomanipulation system of claim 22 further comprises a data store for storing an image model representing the topography of the sample surface, where the microscope controller is operable to update the image model based on said force data.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The nanomanipulation system of claim 26 further comprises a display in data communication with the microscope controller and operable to display the image model to an operator of the atomic force microscope during the nanomanipulation operation.