A
Scanning Probe Nanomanipulator
L. Walker and H. Tan
Haptic Interface Research Laboratory
Purdue University
S. Brown, S. Mahadoo and R. Reifenberger
Reifenberger Nanophysics Laboratory
Purdue University
Scanning
probe microscopy (SPM) provides 3D images at the nanoscale with
unprecedented resolution, enabling the manipulation of
nanometer-scale objects in a variety of ways with the tip of the
SPM. The forces required to manipulate objects at the nanoscale
are so foreign to researchers that little or no intuition is
available to aid in the design and implementation of novel
experiments. To address this problem, a collaborative research
initiative is underway at Purdue that combines a haptic
interface with an ambient Nanotec scanning probe microscope. The
haptic interface transduces the nanonewton forces acting on the
SPM tip into forces that are felt by the user in real time. At
present, we are using a three degree-of-freedom PHANToM
force-feedback interface to control SPM tip position. In the
future, we will incorporate a six degree-of-freedom DELTA haptic
interface that has the additional capability of torque feedback.
This research is developing a state-of-the-art nanomanipulation
instrument combined with a versatile haptic interface to produce
a nanoworkbench that provides the user with real time
manipulation of nano-scale objects. While manipulation is
underway, a data acquisition module accumulates frictional,
compressive and electrostatic properties of matter at the
nanoscale. This capability will enable not only the measurement
and feel of relevant forces influencing objects at the
nanoscale, but it will also lead to a better understanding of
the properties of different classes of materials in the
nanoworld. The final destination for this instrument when fully
operational will be the Birck Nanotechnology Center at Purdue
University’s Discovery Park.
