GOALI/Collaborative Research: Precision Control of Nanopositioners

犹他大学（UU）、维拉诺瓦大学（VU）和行业合作伙伴Molecular Vista， Inc. （MVI）之间的合作研究项目“学术联络机会”（GOALI）的目标是研究新的设计和控制系统方法，以开发用于纳米尺度科学和工程应用的先进纳米定位系统。具体而言，研究成果将导致纳米技术性能的提高，如视频速率扫描探针显微镜，桌面纳米快速成型和纳米制造系统，精密先进增材制造系统，以及微快速检测和修复系统。研究合作和教育活动将使工程专业的研究生和本科生、K-12学生以及更广泛的社区接触到控制、纳米技术和高影响力工业应用方面的前沿研究和发现。本研究的重点是考虑空间和时间约束的双级纳米定位器的新设计和控制范式。新兴的双级纳米定位器具有实现远程和高速运行的独特能力。然而，典型的控制策略依赖于基于频率的信息来分散两个执行器之间的控制工作，这导致一些精确的定位轨迹无法实现。具体来说，低速轨迹被假设为远程轨迹并转向远程低速执行器，而高速轨迹被假设为短程轨迹并转向短程高速执行器。因此，短距离低速输入被转移到远程低速致动器，这可能会产生问题，因为远程致动器的定位分辨率低于短程高速致动器，而短程高速致动器更适合跟踪短程轨迹（无论速度如何）。因此，当距离和频率不呈负相关时，双级纳米定位器无法实现高定位分辨率。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级纳米定位器的指导方针和要求。为了加强理解和控制系统设计过程，将获得捕获系统动态（非线性和动态效应）和传感器特性的详细输入输出模型。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，研究团队将在商用原子力显微镜（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.