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Virginia Tech

Near-Optimal Control of Atomic Force Microscope For Non-contact Mode Applications

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

A compact model representing the dynamics between piezoelectric voltage inputs and cantilever probe positioning, including nonlinear surface interaction forces, for atomic force microscopes (AFM) is considered. By considering a relatively large cantilever stiffness, singular perturbation methods reduce complexity in the model and allows for faster responses to Van der Waals interaction forces experienced by the cantilever's tip and measurement sample. In this study, we outline a nonlinear near-optimal feedback control approach for non-contact mode imaging designed to move the cantilever tip laterally about a desired trajectory and maintain the tip vertically about the equilibrium point of the attraction and repulsion forces. We also consider the universal instance when the tip-sample interaction force is unknown, and we construct cascaded high-gain observers to estimate these forces and multiple AFM dynamics for the purpose of output feedback control. Our proposed output feedback controller is used to accomplish the outlined control objective with only the piezotube position available for state feedback.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Science
Level thesis:degree_level
masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Computer Engineering
Department dc:contributor.department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2022

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Sutton, Joshua Lee
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Boker, Almuatazbellah M.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Doan, Thinh Thanh
  • Mili, Lamine M.

Subjects

dc:subject × 4

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright
Language dc:language.iso
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
vt_gsexam:35050
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/110770

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Sutton, Joshua Lee. Near-Optimal Control of Atomic Force Microscope For Non-contact Mode Applications. masters thesis, Virginia Tech, 2022. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/110770