NanoManipulator tool

The field of nanolithography is intimately connected with nanomanipulation. In nanomanipulation generally a preformed nanoparticle, nanotube or a nanowire is manipulated to place it at a predetermined site. The most widely used tool for nanomanipulation is the cantilever of the AFM that provides a robotic arm to place the nano-objects in predetermined sites. A nanoparticle weakly adsorbed on a substrate can be moved by an AFM tip when it works in contact mode. This is not wanted but if the particle is selected and then moved by the AFM then it becomes a useful tool. The AFM-based manipulation turns the unwanted aspect to an advantage. For instance if one wants to place a nanowire between two electrodes an AFM cantilever can be used to image the wire and push it between the two electrodes. The advantage of the cantilever is that a predetermined force can be applied and also the same instrument can image it. The basic idea behind SPM-based nanomanipulation is shown in Figure 21.17. 

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