Title: Robotic nanoassembly: current developments and challenges

Authors: Zuobin Wang; Dayou Li; Jin Zhang; Ze Ji; Renxi Qiu

Addresses: Centre for Nano Metrology and Manufacturing Technologies, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Jilin, China; Manufacturing Engineering Centre, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF24 3AA, UK. ' Department of Computer Science and Technology, Faculty of Creative Arts, Technologies and Science, University of Bedfordshire, Luton LU1 3JU, UK. ' Manufacturing Engineering Centre, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF24 3AA, UK; State Key Laboratory of Optical Technologies for Microfabrication, Institute of Optics & Electronics, Sichuan, China. ' Manufacturing Engineering Centre, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF24 3AA, UK. ' Manufacturing Engineering Centre, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF24 3AA, UK

Abstract: Robotic nanoassembly is an emerging field that deals with the controlled manipulation, handling and assembly of atoms, molecules and nano objects by robots for manufacturing of nano structures, devices and systems. Nanoassembly is expected to have revolutionary applications in almost all the scientific and technological areas. This paper presents a general review of nanoassembly by robots considering its current developments and challenges. It discusses scanning probe-based 2D nanomanipulation, gripper-based 3D nanohandling, object-oriented nanoassembly and hybrid nanoassembly techniques, which are the main topics of interest in the field. The challenging issues in robotic nanoassembly are outlined together with the topics.

Keywords: robotic nanoassembly; robotics; nanomanipulation; nanohandling; nanometrology; nanomanufacturing; nanotechnology; robotic assembly; object-oriented nanoassembly.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCAT.2011.042694

International Journal of Computer Applications in Technology, 2011 Vol.41 No.3/4, pp.185 - 194

Published online: 26 Sep 2011 *

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