Design of a low-cost meso-scale, detachable fixturing system for probe-based nanomanufacturing equipment and instruments

This paper introduces a low-cost, meso-scale, detachable kinematic fixturing system for use in alignment in probe-based nanomanufacturing. The fixturing system will be applied specifically to a nanopositioning system developed for the functionalization of DNA via dip pen nanolithography. A ball and groove kinematic coupling design was modified by the addition of flexural hinges to reduce the offset of friction on the coupling interface, thereby improving repeatability. A prototype fixturing assembly was fabricated and tested for repeatability in six degrees of freedom. The test results concluded that the kinematic fixturing system has a 1-[sigma] repeatability of approximately 50 nanometers and 3.5 microradians. This optimized kinematic coupling system will enable suitably repeatable, quick, and elegant assembly, thus advancing the manufacturing capabilities of dip pen nanolithography.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Mechanical Engineering.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2009

Author dc:creator

• Watral, Adrienne

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Martin L. Culpepper.

• Mechanical Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/54534

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/54534