Nanjing University has achieved research results in the design and manipulation of micro-nano bionic manipulators

In recent years, micro-nano bionics has received increasing attention in cutting-edge application fields such as precise disease diagnosis, drug development and delivery, and NEMS. Among them, the development of micro-nano bionic gripper robocs structures with high flexibility and precise operability is considered to be an indispensable key technical capability for achieving core functions such as precise delivery, micro-assembly, and functional regulation. However, the hands currently prepared based on micromachining or assembly processes are usually large in size (millimeter to centimeter scale), and traditional electrostatic, electrothermal or stress-driven methods rely on higher driving voltages and longer braking times, which is not conducive to achieving more multi-dimensional and more flexible control needs.

According to MEMS Consulting, in response to the above technical challenges, the team of Professor Yu Linwei from Nanjing University proposed a reliable preparation strategy for a minimalist bionic manipulator and a bionic micro-nano manipulator manipulation application strategy based on the positioning growth and morphology capabilities of ultra-fine crystalline silicon nanowires (NWs). First, based on the research team's independently innovative (In-plane solid-liquid-solid, IPSLS) nanowire growth model, the growth of ultra-long, fine (about 100 nm in diameter) crystalline silicon nanowires with anti-nested Ω shapes was guided; secondly, they were assembled into suspended conductive channels, and the Lorentz force directed by the nanowire morphology was generated through a precisely controllable driving current under the background of a magnetic field, which stimulated the micro-nano manipulator to achieve a series of highly flexible, large-amplitude and multi-dimensional three-dimensional gripping, flipping, twisting and releasing, and other finger-like bionic operation capabilities.

Due to the use of ultra-fine nanowires as the manipulator support and the integration of the unique flexible morphology design advantages of IPSLS nanowires, this micro-nano bionic manipulator can achieve multi-modal high-frequency oscillation (even resonance) at a relatively low AC driving current, which provides a very favorable new dimension of regulation for overcoming the viscous van der Waals force that is ubiquitous in the microscopic world and achieving reliable and precise load release. Finally, the "two-handed collaboration" based on this manipulator also successfully demonstrated the accurate picking, online testing and positioning installation of micro-units. This "single nanowire morphing" minimalist micro-nano preparation and Lorentz force driving strategy will provide an extremely convenient, flexible and powerful preparation and application platform for the rapid design, shaping and verification of various novel bionic manipulators, and is expected to be widely used in cutting-edge fields such as microorganism/cell manipulation, genetic engineering, precision assembly and high-sensitivity detection.

Figure 1 The design idea of ​​single nanowire shaping and the "positioning and shaping" guided growth, preparation and assembly process of the micro-nano bionic manipulator.

Figure 2 “Grasp-release” manipulation of the micro-nano bionic manipulator driven by Lorentz force.

Figure 3 Micro-nano bionic manipulator for precise picking, multi-dimensional manipulation and vibration-assisted load release.

Figure 4 The "two-handed coordination" operation of the micro-nano bionic manipulator realizes micro-ball transfer and micro-LED lighting.

The above work was published in the journal Nature Communications under the title of "Ultrompact single-nanowire-mphed grippe driven by vectorial Lorentz forces for dexrous robotic manipulations". Yan Jiang, a doctoral student at the School of Electronic Science and Engineering of Nanjing University, is the first author of the paper, and Professor Yu Linwei and Associate Researcher Liu Zongguang are the corresponding authors of the paper. This work was supported and guided by Professor Chen Kunji, Professor Xu Jun, Professor Shi Yi and Professor Wang Junzhuan of Nanjing University, as well as funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China's major research program key projects, general and youth projects.

Review editor: Liu Qing