Actuator actuating and probe positioning of robotic nanomanipulation system

Abstract

In AFM based robotic nanomanipulation system, one of the key technical problems is to realize high accurate actuating and positioning of the AFM probe. To solve the problem, based on analyzing the hysteresis and nonlinear characteristics of the AFM PZT actuator and previous actuating methods, a new actuating method called 'actuating method based on reappearing the scanning trajectory' is presented to actuate the PZT actuator. Besides, two kinds of probe positioning errors, namely kinematics coupling errors due to tube actuator bend motion, and probe tip positioning errors caused by cantilever deformation, are analyzed quantitively and compensated to further improve the probe positioning accuracy. Due to adopting the new actuating method and positioning error compensation method, the positioning accuracy of AFM probe can be significantly improved and thus nanomanipulation and nanoassembly can be performed accurately. Nanolithography experiments were presented to verify the effectiveness of the new actuating method and positioning error compensation method.