A novel method relying on atomic force microscope (AFM) tip based nanomachining is presented to enable the fabrication of microchannels that exhibit complex three-dimensional (3D) nanoscale floor surface geometries. To achieve this, reciprocating lateral displacements of the tip of an AFM probe are generated, while a high-precision stage is also actuated to move in a direction perpendicular to such tip motions. The width and length of microchannels machined in this way are determined by the amplitude of the tip motion and the stage displacement, respectively. Thus, the processing feed can be changed during the process as it is defined by the combined control of the frequency of the tip reciprocating motions and the stage speed. By employing the built-in force feedback loop of conventional AFM systems during such operations, the variation of the feed leads to different machined depths. Thus, this results in the capability to generate complex 3D nanostructures, even for a given normal load, which is set by the AFM user prior to the start of the process. In this paper, the fabrication of different microchannels with floor surfaces following half triangular, triangular, sinusoidal, and top-hat waveforms is demonstrated. It is anticipated that this method could be employed to fabricate complex nanostructures more readily compared to traditional vacuum-based lithography processes.
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December 2016
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Machining Complex Three-Dimensional Nanostructures With an Atomic Force Microscope Through the Frequency Control of the Tip Reciprocating Motions
Yanquan Geng,
Yanquan Geng
The State Key Laboratory of Robotics and Systems,
Robotics Institute,
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150080, Heilongjiang, China;
Robotics Institute,
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150080, Heilongjiang, China;
Center for Precision Engineering,
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150001, Heilongjiang, China;
Cardiff School of Engineering,
Cardiff University,
Cardiff CF24 3AA, UK
e-mail: gengyanquan@gmail.com
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150001, Heilongjiang, China;
Cardiff School of Engineering,
Cardiff University,
Cardiff CF24 3AA, UK
e-mail: gengyanquan@gmail.com
Search for other works by this author on:
Yongda Yan,
Yongda Yan
The State Key Laboratory of Robotics and Systems,
Robotics Institute,
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150080, Heilongjiang, China;
Robotics Institute,
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150080, Heilongjiang, China;
Center for Precision Engineering,
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150001, Heilongjiang, China
e-mail: yanyongda@hit.edu.cn
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150001, Heilongjiang, China
e-mail: yanyongda@hit.edu.cn
Search for other works by this author on:
Emmanuel Brousseau,
Emmanuel Brousseau
Cardiff School of Engineering,
Cardiff University,
Cardiff CF24 3AA, UK
e-mail: BrousseauE@cardiff.ac.uk
Cardiff University,
Cardiff CF24 3AA, UK
e-mail: BrousseauE@cardiff.ac.uk
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Xing Cui,
Xing Cui
The State Key Laboratory of Robotics and Systems,
Robotics Institute,
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150080, Heilongjiang, China;
Robotics Institute,
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150080, Heilongjiang, China;
Center for Precision Engineering,
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150001, Heilongjiang, China
e-mail: wa_cuixing@163.com
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150001, Heilongjiang, China
e-mail: wa_cuixing@163.com
Search for other works by this author on:
Bowen Yu,
Bowen Yu
The State Key Laboratory of Robotics and Systems,
Robotics Institute,
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150080, Heilongjiang, China;
Robotics Institute,
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150080, Heilongjiang, China;
Center for Precision Engineering,
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150001, Heilongjiang, China
e-mail: yubowen1990@gmail.com
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150001, Heilongjiang, China
e-mail: yubowen1990@gmail.com
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Xuesen Zhao,
Xuesen Zhao
Center for Precision Engineering,
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150001, Heilongjiang, China
e-mail: zxs0327@126.com
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150001, Heilongjiang, China
e-mail: zxs0327@126.com
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Zhenjiang Hu
Zhenjiang Hu
Center for Precision Engineering,
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150001, Heilongjiang, China
e-mail: lyhoo@163.com
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150001, Heilongjiang, China
e-mail: lyhoo@163.com
Search for other works by this author on:
Yanquan Geng
The State Key Laboratory of Robotics and Systems,
Robotics Institute,
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150080, Heilongjiang, China;
Robotics Institute,
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150080, Heilongjiang, China;
Center for Precision Engineering,
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150001, Heilongjiang, China;
Cardiff School of Engineering,
Cardiff University,
Cardiff CF24 3AA, UK
e-mail: gengyanquan@gmail.com
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150001, Heilongjiang, China;
Cardiff School of Engineering,
Cardiff University,
Cardiff CF24 3AA, UK
e-mail: gengyanquan@gmail.com
Yongda Yan
The State Key Laboratory of Robotics and Systems,
Robotics Institute,
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150080, Heilongjiang, China;
Robotics Institute,
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150080, Heilongjiang, China;
Center for Precision Engineering,
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150001, Heilongjiang, China
e-mail: yanyongda@hit.edu.cn
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150001, Heilongjiang, China
e-mail: yanyongda@hit.edu.cn
Emmanuel Brousseau
Cardiff School of Engineering,
Cardiff University,
Cardiff CF24 3AA, UK
e-mail: BrousseauE@cardiff.ac.uk
Cardiff University,
Cardiff CF24 3AA, UK
e-mail: BrousseauE@cardiff.ac.uk
Xing Cui
The State Key Laboratory of Robotics and Systems,
Robotics Institute,
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150080, Heilongjiang, China;
Robotics Institute,
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150080, Heilongjiang, China;
Center for Precision Engineering,
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150001, Heilongjiang, China
e-mail: wa_cuixing@163.com
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150001, Heilongjiang, China
e-mail: wa_cuixing@163.com
Bowen Yu
The State Key Laboratory of Robotics and Systems,
Robotics Institute,
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150080, Heilongjiang, China;
Robotics Institute,
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150080, Heilongjiang, China;
Center for Precision Engineering,
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150001, Heilongjiang, China
e-mail: yubowen1990@gmail.com
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150001, Heilongjiang, China
e-mail: yubowen1990@gmail.com
Xuesen Zhao
Center for Precision Engineering,
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150001, Heilongjiang, China
e-mail: zxs0327@126.com
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150001, Heilongjiang, China
e-mail: zxs0327@126.com
Zhenjiang Hu
Center for Precision Engineering,
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150001, Heilongjiang, China
e-mail: lyhoo@163.com
Harbin Institute of Technology,
Harbin 150001, Heilongjiang, China
e-mail: lyhoo@163.com
1Corresponding author.
Manuscript received May 9, 2016; final manuscript received September 27, 2016; published online October 25, 2016. Assoc. Editor: Allen Y. Yi.
J. Manuf. Sci. Eng. Dec 2016, 138(12): 124501 (8 pages)
Published Online: October 25, 2016
Article history
Received:
May 9, 2016
Revised:
September 27, 2016
Citation
Geng, Y., Yan, Y., Brousseau, E., Cui, X., Yu, B., Zhao, X., and Hu, Z. (October 25, 2016). "Machining Complex Three-Dimensional Nanostructures With an Atomic Force Microscope Through the Frequency Control of the Tip Reciprocating Motions." ASME. J. Manuf. Sci. Eng. December 2016; 138(12): 124501. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4034892
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