Collaborative Research: High-Speed AFM through Compressed Sensing

该方案的主要研究目标是通过基于压缩感知（CS）的非光栅采样方案来提高原子力显微镜（AFM）的时间分辨率。虽然原子力显微镜继续被大量用于研究系统的纳米尺度的功能，其时间分辨率限制了其适用性的动力学研究。研究方法的进展，从非光栅采样的单个图像，包括强大的时间最优控制技术，以移动显微镜的尖端之间的测量位置，尽可能快，CS驱动的计划，用于获取图像序列。开发的方法将在AFM上实施和测试，以证明其能力。如果成功的话，这项研究的结果将通过提高成像速率来扩展AFM的实用性，同时减少与样品的相互作用，限制成像过程造成的任何损害。虽然专注于AFM，但要开发的技术将直接适用于其他扫描探针方法，如扫描隧道显微镜和近场扫描光学显微镜，以及更广泛地应用于短距离传感器在大面积上获取信息的场景。这些场景的示例包括自主机器人的环境监测、海洋环境中的大规模数据收集和天气采样。此外，鲁棒的时间最优控制结果将广泛应用于包括磁盘驱动器、磁带驱动器、晶片扫描系统、电子制造等的行业。研究生和本科生将通过参与研究而受益，而推广活动将吸引波士顿都会区的初中和高中学生，重点是来自低收入家庭的学生，以及博尔德都会区的女学生。

The primary research objective of this proposal is to improve the temporal resolution of atomic force microscopy (AFM) through non-raster sampling schemes based on compressed sensing (CS). While AFM continues to be used heavily for the study of systems with nanometer-scale features, its temporal resolution limits its applicability to the study of dynamics. The research approach progresses from non-raster sampling of a single image, including robust time-optimal control techniques to move the tip of the microscope as rapidly as possible between measurement locations, to CS driven schemes for acquisition of image sequences. The methods developed will be implemented and tested on AFMs to demonstrate their capabilities. If successful, the results of this research will extend the utility of AFMs by increasing the imaging rate while also decreasing the interaction with the sample, limiting any damage caused by the imaging process. While focused on AFMs, the techniques to be developed will be directly applicable to other scanning probe methodologies, such as scanning tunneling microscopy and near-field scanning optical microscopy, as well as more broadly to scenarios in which a short-range sensor is acquiring information in a large area. Examples of such scenarios include environmental monitoring by autonomous robots, large-scale data collection in ocean environments, and weather sampling. Further, the robust time-optimal control results will be broadly applicable in industries that include disk drives, tape drives, wafer scanning systems, electronic manufacturing, and more. Graduate and undergraduate students will benefit through participation in the research while outreach activities will engage middle and high school students in the Boston metro area, with a focus on students from low-income families, and in the Boulder metro area, with a focus on female students.