GOALI/Collaborative Research: Precision Control of Nanopositioners

这项由犹他大学(UU)、维拉诺瓦大学(VU)和行业合作伙伴分子Vista公司(MVI)合作的学术联络机会(GOALI)研究项目的目标是研究用于纳米科学和工程应用的先进纳米定位系统开发的新设计和控制系统方法。具体地说，研究成果将促进纳米技术性能的提高，如视频速率扫描探针显微镜、台式纳米快速成型和纳米制造系统、精密先进添加剂制造系统以及微型快速检测和修复系统。研究合作和教育活动将使工程学研究生和本科生、K-12学生以及更广泛的社区接触到控制、纳米技术和高影响行业应用方面的尖端研究和发现。这项研究的重点是同时考虑空间和时间限制的双阶段纳米定向器的新设计和控制范例。新兴的双级纳米定向器具有实现远程和高速操作的独特能力。然而，典型的控制策略依赖于基于频率的信息来在两个执行器之间分配控制力，这导致一些精确的定位轨迹无法实现。具体地说，假设低速轨迹是长距离的，并且转移到远程低速执行器，而高速轨迹假设是短程的，并且转移到短距离的高速执行器。因此，短距离、低速输入被转移到长距离、低速执行器，这可能是有问题的，因为远距离执行器的定位分辨率低于短距离、高速执行器，后者更适合跟踪短距离轨迹(无论速度如何)。因此，当距离和频率不是逆相关时，双级纳米定向器不能达到高定位分辨率。为了推进最先进的技术，将采取以控制为中心的设计方法来建立创建高性能双阶段纳米定向器的指导方针和要求。为了加强对系统设计过程的理解和控制，将获得详细的输入-输出模型，这些模型可以捕捉系统的动态(非线性和动态效应)和传感器特性。为了有效地分配控制输入，将开发一种系统地考虑空间和时间信息的创新控制算法。最后，在行业合作伙伴的支持下，研究小组将在商业原子力显微镜(AFM)系统上评估该技术，并考虑未来的商业化机会。

The goal of this collaborative Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI) research project between the University of Utah (UU), Villanova University (VU), and industry partner Molecular Vista, Inc. (MVI) is to study new design and control system approaches for the development of advanced nanopositioning systems for nanoscale science and engineering applications. Specifically, the research outcomes will lead to improvement in the performance of nanotechnologies, such as video-rate scanning probe microscopy, desktop nano-rapid prototyping and nanomanufacturing systems, precision advanced additive manufacturing systems, and micro rapid inspection and repair systems. The research collaboration and the educational activities will expose graduate and undergraduate engineering students, K-12 students, and the wider community to cutting-edge research and findings in control, nanotechnology, and high-impact industry applications. The focus of this research is on new design and control paradigms for dual-stage nanopositioners that consider both spatial and temporal constraints. Emerging dual-stage nanopositioners have the unique ability to achieve both long-range and high-speed operation. However, typical control strategies rely on frequency-based information to split the control effort between the two actuators, which results in some precision positioning trajectories being unachievable. Specifically, low-speed trajectories are assumed to be long-range and diverted to the long-range, low-speed actuator while high-speed trajectories are assumed to be short-range and diverted to the short-range, high speed actuator. Thus, short-range, low-speed inputs are diverted to the long-range, low-speed actuator, which can be problematic since the long-range actuator has a lower positioning resolution than the short-range, high-speed actuator, which is better suited to track the short-range trajectory (regardless of speed). Therefore, dual-stage nanopositioners cannot achieve high positioning resolution when range and frequency are not inversely correlated. To advance the state-of-the-art, a control-centered design approach will be taken to establish the guidelines and requirements for creating high-performance dual-stage nanopositioners. To enhance the understanding and control system design process, detailed input-output models that capture the dynamics of the system (nonlinear and dynamic effects) and sensor characteristics will be obtained. An innovative control algorithm which systematically considers both spatial and temporal information will be developed to effectively allocate the control input. Finally, with support from the industry partner, the research team will evaluate the technology on a commercial atomic force microscope (AFM) system and consider future commercialization opportunities.