SGER: Integrated Actuation Arrays for High Speed AFM Protein Imaging Systems

这项工作的目标是使高速原子力显微镜的发展成为可能。这种方法是研究高速定位中的一种变革性概念：使用光刻制造的线圈阵列来磁驱动探头尖端。提出的方法的智能优点需要通过以下方式开发集成电子学解决方案：(1)用提供电磁致动的线圈阵列而不是单个线圈来取代传统的压电式致动；(2)将致动延迟降低到微秒以下；(3)研究如何有效地使用多个悬臂来并行成像，其中同一芯片上的不同阵列可以专用于几个悬臂成像器。对于更高分辨率的高速成像，可以在探头之间细分范围以并行成像子区域。该项目还将解决成像驱动器之间的同步问题。拟议工作的更广泛影响是研究的跨学科知识成果，包括集成电子学、系统和生物学。预计在研究助理的帮助下，这些知识将被整合到目前的电子学和医学成像课程中。它还将通过本课程的网站进行传播。研究人员将包括一名目前在他的实验室为该项目进行芯片测试活动的本科生。

SummaryThe objective of this effort is to enable the development of high speed atomic force microscopy. The approach is to research a transformational concept in high speed positioning: using lithographically manufactured arrays of coils for magnetic actuation of a probe tip. The intellectual merit of the proposed approach entails the development of an integrated electronics solution by way of the following: (1) replace the conventional piezo-actuation by an array of coils, as opposed to a single coil, that provides electromagnetic actuation; (2) reduce the delay in actuation to below micro-seconds; (3) investigate the efficient use of multiple cantilevers to image in parallel where various arrays on the same die can be dedicated to several cantilever imagers. For higher resolution high speed imaging, the range can be sub-divided among the probes to image sub-regions in parallel. The project will also address the issues of synchronization among the imaging drivers.The broader impact of the proposed effort is in the cross-disciplinary knowledge outcome of the research that would encompass integrated electronics, systems, and biology. It is anticipated that such knowledge, with the help of the research assistant, would be integrated in one current class in electronics and medical imaging. It will also be disseminated through the website for this course. The investigator will include one undergraduate female student currently working in his laboratory on chip testing activities for this project.