In-SEM Multi-physics characterization and robotics manipulation – NanoRobust

Nanoscience is an area of growing research, mainly through the promising emergence of new nano-objects or nano-materials. This research area is now facing a challenge: the measurement of intrinsic properties of nano-object. In the NanoRobust project, we propose to address this challenge through two research themes: (1) the ability to control the 3D manipulation of these nano-objects in order to locate them on supports which enable the transportation to TEM to analyse their properties and (2) the analysis inside a SEM of the multiphysics properties without any damages or contamination of these objects.
The project aims to design a robotized platform for nanomanipulation andmultiphysic caracterization inside a SEM. Neither in research laboratories nor on the market, any current platform combines the set of characteristics that are necessary to obtain the objectives for characterizing the nano-objects. We propose in the project a solution based on Nanorobotics which appears as a relevant solution to answer to the need of flexibility that is necessary to face the diversity in shape and configuration of nano-objetcs. By considering the existing controlled positioning systems, the existing manual strategies for nanomanipulation and some current methods for the measurement of multiphysic properties, we propose to integrate and improve them to be able to answer to the need for the nano-objects characterization.
The resolution, the repetability and the control of the physical interaction impose to equip the system with advanced control of robots. Indeed, new research challenges appear coming from a very bad signal/noise ratio, the difficulty to exploit the SEM imagery for the control, the nanoforce/electronic vision hybrid control, or the use of embedded sensors. Control the interaction and the displacements needs the development of robust control solutions.

LPN brings a set of problems of manipulation and multiphysics characterization in situ SEM. FEMTO-ST and IRISA bring their high level competencies for sensors (vision, force and position) based control. UPMC/ISIR and FEMTO-ST are leading laboratories in the domain of micro/nanorobotics systems. UPMC/ISIR leads a set of methods and strategies for the nanomanipulation. They are already studied but still at the embryonic stage and they will be improved to face the real situation given by LPN.

The program of the project is an answer to the different research themes. We will study the problem of the definition of strategies for the nanomanipulation and methods for in situ multiphysic characterization, the problems of the robust control for the handling of nano-objets, and also the improvement of the characterization by taking into account the noises and by using filtering techniques, the problem of the SEM tools for imagery, the SEM vision based control to automate the processus of manipulation and characterization for the studied cases.
Through this project, our ambition is to show that the interaction between the concerned scientific domains permit to answer to the challenges of the nanomanipulation and multiphysic characterization for individual nano-objects. The prospects for use in the network of technology centers and industrial player (Thalès has written its interest) are very important.