Nanopositioning for lithography and data storage

Abstract

The history of the science shows that there is usually one strong social demand behind a new technology. The new technology, which can solve the key problem, must be got people’s praise and attraction. Nanotechnology is also facing the similar historical opportunity. Nanotechnology, which is understanding matter and the control of matter at dimensions of 100 nm or less, appeared in recent years [1-4]. The inventions of the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) [5] and the atomic force microscope (AFM) [6], which are widely used in biology [7, 8], chemistry [9], materials science [10, 11], and physics [12], greatly promoted the research of the nanotechnology areas. The wide applications all depend on the high-precision nanopositioning stages. Based on this, nanopositioning is one of the key requirements of nanotechnology [13]. Nanopositioning involves precision control and manipulation of devices and materials at a nanoscale. Nanopositioners are precision mechatronic systems applied to move objects over a small range with a resolution down to a fraction of an atomic diameter. Hence, nanopositioners need to possess high resolution, accuracy, stability, and fast response. To realize manipulation at the nanometer scale with SPM, nanopositioning systems are necessary [14, 15]. In SPMs, nanopositioning system is used to control the probe to scan over a sample surface. Accurate position sensor and feedback control system are key to successful nanopositioning.