Automated robotic manipulation of individual sub-micro particles using a dual probe setup inside the scanning electron microscope

Micro- and nanosized objects aligned in specific spatial order are of great interest for applications in photonics and nanoelectronics. In particular, piezo-actuated robotic setups are promising tools to arrange and manipulate these objects individually. However, automated robotic processing on the sub-micron scale remains challenging due to the force scaling laws and the limited possibilities in terms of control. This paper presents the current progress on fully-automated pick-and-place routines of individual colloidal particles using a dedicated dual-probe setup inside a scanning electron microscope. Applying tailored probes in combination with image processing of the visual feedback provided by the microscope allow for complex automation sequences. The limits of the current technique are highlighted and the challenges for automated processing of progressively smaller particles are discussed.

[1]  Tobias Tiemerding,et al.  Automated Robotic Manipulation of Individual Colloidal Particles Using Vision-Based Control , 2015, IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics.

[2]  Aristides A. G. Requicha,et al.  Automated Nanomanipulation with Atomic Force Microscopes , 2007, Proceedings 2007 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

[3]  Rong Wang,et al.  Tip Based Nanomanipulation Through Successive Directional Push , 2010 .

[4]  Yong Zhang,et al.  Active Release of Microobjects Using a MEMS Microgripper to Overcome Adhesion Forces , 2009, Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems.

[5]  Hui Xie,et al.  Three-dimensional automated micromanipulation using a nanotip gripper with multi-feedback , 2009 .

[6]  Na Liu,et al.  Plasmon transmutation: inducing new modes in nanoclusters by adding dielectric nanoparticles. , 2012, Nano letters.

[7]  T. Yamaura,et al.  Image-based autonomous micromanipulation system for arrangement of spheres in a scanning electron microscope , 2004 .

[8]  Aristides A. G. Requicha,et al.  Algorithms and Software for Nanomanipulation with Atomic Force Microscopes , 2009, Int. J. Robotics Res..

[9]  Ning Xi,et al.  CAD-guided automated nanoassembly using atomic force microscopy-based nonrobotics , 2006, IEEE Trans Autom. Sci. Eng..

[10]  Tobias Tiemerding,et al.  Robotic dual probe setup for reliable pick and place processing on the nanoscale using haptic devices , 2014, 2014 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems.

[11]  Tobias Tiemerding,et al.  Automated mechanical characterization of 2D materials using SEM based visual servoing , 2013 .

[12]  C. López,et al.  Nanorobotic Manipulation of Microspheres for On‐Chip Diamond Architectures , 2002 .

[13]  Sergej Fatikow,et al.  Automated high-speed nanopositioning inside scanning electron microscopes , 2010, 2010 IEEE International Conference on Automation Science and Engineering.

[14]  Wolfgang Schärtl,et al.  Current directions in core-shell nanoparticle design. , 2010, Nanoscale.

[15]  Tobias Tiemerding,et al.  Closing the loop: High-speed visual servoing and control of a commercial nanostage inside the SEM , 2013, 2013 International Conference on Manipulation, Manufacturing and Measurement on the Nanoscale.

[16]  Weiqiang Ding,et al.  Micro/Nano-particle Manipulation and Adhesion Studies , 2008 .

[17]  C D Onal,et al.  Automated 2-D Nanoparticle Manipulation Using Atomic Force Microscopy , 2011, IEEE Transactions on Nanotechnology.

[18]  Hideki T. Miyazaki,et al.  Photonic band in two-dimensional lattices of micrometer-sized spheres mechanically arranged under a scanning electron microscope , 2000 .

[19]  Seppo Kuikka,et al.  Towards fully automated pick and place operations of individual natural fibers , 2013, 2013 International Conference on Manipulation, Manufacturing and Measurement on the Nanoscale.

[20]  Hui Xie,et al.  A versatile atomic force microscope for three-dimensional nanomanipulation and nanoassembly , 2009, Nanotechnology.

[21]  Yong Zhang,et al.  Automated Pick-Place of Silicon Nanowires , 2013, IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering.

[22]  Tobias Tiemerding,et al.  A Rapid Automation Framework for Applications on the Micro- and Nanoscale , 2013 .

[23]  Sergej Fatikow,et al.  Automated robotic assembly for a micro-cartridge system inside the scanning electron microscope , 2014, 2014 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA).

[24]  Tobias Tiemerding,et al.  Integrating robotic software frameworks for convenient software component exchange in micro- and nanoscale applications , 2014, 2014 IEEE/ASME International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics.