Macro to nano tele-manipulation through nanoelectromechanical systems

Abstract

In this paper, manipulation systems from a macroscale world to nanoscale world which are indispensable for constructing nanoelectromechanical systems are introduced, and a macro to nano telemanipulation system has been proposed. We selected the tele-robotics manipulation approach for positioning nano objects with sizes between 1 nm and 10 /spl mu/m in 2-D. A user interface enables the operator to feel the nano forces using a haptic device and see the 3-D graphics of the nano world during the manipulation. Force models, the manipulation strategy and the teleoperation control approach are designed, and preliminary results are presented. Possible target applications of this tele-nanomanipulation system are nanometric particle assembly through constructing 2-D or 3-D NEMS devices, biological object (cell, virus, gene, DNA, etc.) manipulation, and modifying the local surface properties of materials.