Covering the complete design cycle of nanopositioning systems, this is the first comprehensive text on the topic. The book first introduces concepts associated with nanopositioning stages and outlines their application in such tasks as scanning probe microscopy, nanofabrication, data storage, cell surgery and precision optics. Piezoelectric transducers, employed ubiquitously in nanopositioning applications are then discussed in detail including practical considerations and constraints on transducer response. The reader is then given an overview of the types of nanopositioner before the text turns to the in-depth coverage of mechanical design including flexures, materials, manufacturing techniques, and electronics. This process is illustrated by the example of a high-speed serial-kinematic nanopositioner. Position sensors are then catalogued and described and the text then focuses on control. Several forms of control are treated: shunt control, feedback control, force feedback control and feedforward control (including an appreciation of iterative learning control). Performance issues are given importance as are problems limiting that performance such as hysteresis and noise which arise in the treatment of control and are then given chapter-length attention in their own right. The reader also learns about cost functions and other issues involved in command shaping, charge drives and electrical considerations. All concepts are demonstrated experimentally including by direct application to atomic force microscope imaging. Design, Modeling and Control of Nanopositioning Systems will be of interest to researchers in mechatronics generally and in control applied to atomic force microscopy and other nanopositioning applications. Microscope developers and mechanical designers of nanopositioning devices will find the text essential reading.

This book describes how surface tension effects can be used by engineers to provide mechanical functions in miniaturized products (<1 mm). Even if precursors of this field such as Jurin or Laplace already date back to the 18th century, describing surface tension effects from a mechanical perspective is very recent. The originality of this book is to consider the effects of capillary bridges on solids, including forces and torques exerted both statically and dynamically by the liquid along the 6 degrees-of-freedom. It provides a comprehensive approach to various applications, such as capillary adhesion (axial force), centering force in packaging and micro-assembly (lateral force) and recent developments such as a capillary motor (torque). It devises how surface tension can be used to provide mechanical functions such as actuation (bubble-actuated compliant table), sealing and tightness, energy harvesting, nanodispending.

MEMS and Nanotechnology, Volume 5: Proceedings of the 2013 Annual Conference on Experimental and Applied Mechanics, the fifth volume of eight from the Conference, brings together contributions to this important area of research and engineering. The collection presents early findings and case studies on a wide range of areas, including: Microelectronics Packaging Single Atom/Molecule Mechanical Testing MEMS Devices & Fabrication In-Situ Mechanical Testing Nanoindentation Experimental Analysis of Low-Dimensional Materials for Nanotechnology

This book captures selected peer reviewed papers presented at the 5th International Conference on Sustainable Automotive Technologies, ICSAT 2013, held in Ingolstadt, Germany. ICSAT is the state-of-the-art conference in the field of new technologies for transportation. The book brings together the work of international researchers and practitioners under the following interrelated headings: fuel transportation and storage, material recycling, manufacturing and management costs, engines and emission reduction. The book provides a very good overview of research and development activities focused on new technologies and approaches capable of meeting the challenges to sustainable mobility.

This book provides a state of the art report of the knowledge accumulated in graphene research. The fascination with graphene has been growing very rapidly in recent years and the physics of graphene is now becoming one of the most interesting as well as the most fast-moving topics in condensed-matter physics. The Nobel prize in physics awarded in 2010 has given a tremendous impetus to this topic. The horizon of the physics of graphene is ever becoming wider, where physical concepts go hand in hand with advances in experimental techniques. Thus this book is expanding the interests to not only transport but optical and other properties for systems that include multilayer as well as monolayer graphene systems. The book comprises experimental and theoretical knowledge. The book is also accessible to graduate students.

This book offers detailed insights into spin transfer torque (STT) based devices, circuits and memories. Starting with the basic concepts and device physics, it then addresses advanced STT applications and discusses the outlook for this cutting-edge technology. It also describes the architectures, performance parameters, fabrication, and the prospects of STT based devices. Further, moving from the device to the system perspective it presents a non-volatile computing architecture composed of STT based magneto-resistive and all-spin logic devices and demonstrates that efficient STT based magneto-resistive and all-spin logic devices can turn the dream of instant on/off non-volatile computing into reality.

This first edition of conference Proceedings reflects the expansion of the field of Mechatronics, which has now taken its place in the world of newer transdisciplinary fields of Adaptronics, Integronics, and Cyber-Mix Mechatronics. It presents state-of-the art advances in Mechatronics, Adaptronics, Integronics and Cyber-Mix-Mechatronics. The 1st International Conference of Mechatronics and Cyber-MixMechatronics/ICOMECYME was organized by the National Institute of R&D in Mechatronics and Measurement Technique in Bucharest (Romania), on September 7th-8th, 2017 and attracted specialists from all over the world-including North America, South America, and Asia. In addition to presenting research results, ICOMECYME also offered a forum for exchange between R&D experts.

This book covers the state of the art in the theoretical framework, computational modeling, and the fabrication and characterization of nanoelectronics devices. It addresses material properties, device physics, circuit analysis, system design, and a range of applications. A discussion on the nanoscale fabrication, characterization and metrology is also included. The book offers a valuable resource for researchers, graduate students, and senior undergraduate students in engineering and natural sciences, who are interested in exploring nanoelectronics from materials, devices, systems, and applications perspectives.

This book provides an updated review on the development of scanning probe microscopy and related techniques, and the availability of computational techniques not even imaginable a few decades ago. The 36 chapters cover instrumental aspects, theoretical models and selected experimental results, thus offering a broad panoramic view on fundamental issues in nanotribology which are currently being investigated. Compared to the first edition, several topics have been added, including triboluminescence, graphene mechanics, friction and wear in liquid environments, capillary condensation, and multiscale friction modeling. Particular care has been taken to avoid overlaps and guarantee the independence of the chapters. In this way, our book aims to become a key reference on this subject for the next five to ten years to come.

This book covers various aspects of lasers in materials science, including a comprehensive overview on basic principles of laser-materials interactions and applications enabled by pulsed laser systems. The material is organized in a coherent way, providing the reader with a harmonic architecture. While systematically covering the major current and emerging areas of lasers processing applications, the Volume provides examples of targeted modification of material properties achieved through careful control of the processing conditions and laser irradiation parameters. Special emphasis is placed on specific strategies aimed at nanoscale control of material structure and properties to match the stringent requirements of modern applications. Laser fabrication of novel nanomaterials, which expands to the domains of photonics, photovoltaics, sensing, and biomedical applications, is also discussed in the Volume. This book assembles chapters based on lectures delivered at the Venice International School on Lasers in Materials Science which was held in Isola di San Servolo, Venice, Italy, in July, 2012.

This book brings together recent developments in the areas of MEMS tribology, novel lubricants and coatings for nanotechnological applications, biomimetics in tribology and fundamentals of micro/nano-tribology. Tribology plays important roles in the functioning and durability of machines at small length scales because of the problems associated with strong surface adhesion, friction, wear etc. Recently, a number of studies have been conducted to understand tribological phenomena at nano/micro scales and many new tribological solutions for MEMS have been proposed.

Today’s semiconductor memory market is divided between two types of memory: DRAM and Flash. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. While DRAM is fast but volatile, Flash is non-volatile but slow. A memory system based on self-organized quantum dots (QDs) as storage node could combine the advantages of modern DRAM and Flash, thus merging the latter’s non-volatility with very fast write times. This thesis investigates the electronic properties of and carrier dynamics in self-organized quantum dots by means of time-resolved capacitance spectroscopy and time-resolved current measurements. The first aim is to study the localization energy of various QD systems in order to assess the potential of increasing the storage time in QDs to non-volatility. Surprisingly, it is found that the major impact of carrier capture cross-sections of QDs is to influence, and at times counterbalance, carrier storage in addition to the localization energy. The second aim is to study the coupling between a layer of self-organized QDs and a two-dimensional hole gas (2DHG), which is relevant for the read-out process in memory systems. The investigation yields the discovery of the many-particle ground states in the QD ensemble. In addition to its technological relevance, the thesis also offers new insights into the fascinating field of nanostructure physics.

This thesis consists of an in-depth study of investigating microstructure-property relationships in bulk metallic glasses using a novel quantitative approach by which influence of the second phase features on mechanical properties can be independently and systematically analyzed. The author evaluates and optimizes the elastic and plastic deformation, as well as the overall toughness of cellular honeycombs under in-plane compression and porous heterostructures under uniaxial tension. The study reveals three major deformation zones in cellular metallic glass structures, where deformation changes from collective buckling showing non-linear elasticity to localized failure exhibiting a brittle-like deformation, and finally to global sudden failure with negligible plasticity as the length to thickness ratio of the ligaments increases. The author found that spacing and size of the pores, the pore configuration within the matrix, and the overall width of the sample determines the extent of deformation, where the optimized values are attained for pore diameter to spacing ratio of one with AB type pore stacking.

This book presents recent advances and developments in control, automation, robotics, and measuring techniques. It presents contributions of top experts in the fields, focused on both theory and industrial practice. In particular the book is devoted to new ideas, challenges, solutions and applications of Mechatronics. The particular chapters present a deep analysis of a specific technical problem which is in general followed by a numerical analysis and simulation, and results of an implementation for the solution of a real world problem. The presented theoretical results, practical solutions and guidelines will be useful for both researchers working in the area of engineering sciences and for practitioners solving industrial problems.

This book deals with the theoretical and computational simulation of monoperiodic nanostructures for different classes of inorganic substances. These simulations are related to their synthesis and experimental studies. A theoretical formalism is developed to describe 1D nanostructures with symmetric shapes and morphologies. Three types of models are considered for this aim: (i) nanotubes (rolled from 2D nanolayers and described within the formalism of line symmetry groups); (ii) nanoribbons (obtained from 2D nanolayers by their cutting along the chosen direction of translation); (iii) nanowires (obtained from 3D lattice by its sectioning along the crystalline planes parallel to the chosen direction of translation). Quantum chemistry ab-initio methods applied for LCAO calculations on electronic and vibrational properties of 1D nanostructures are thoroughly described. Understanding of theoretical aspects presented here enlarges the possibilities for synthesis of monoperiodic nanostructures with predictable morphology and better interpretation of their properties.

For Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) and Nanoelectromechanical Systems (NEMS) production, each product requires a unique process technology. This book provides a comprehensive insight into the tools necessary for fabricating MEMS/NEMS and the process technologies applied. Besides, it describes enabling technologies which are necessary for a successful production, i.e., wafer planarization and bonding, as well as contamination control.

The book presents the fabrication and circuit modeling of quantum dot gate field effect transistor (QDGFET) and quantum dot gate NMOS inverter (QDNMOS inverter). It also introduces the development of a circuit model of QDGFET based on Berkley Short Channel IGFET model (BSIM). Different ternary logic circuits based on QDGFET are also investigated in this book. Advanced circuit such as three-bit and six bit analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and digital-to-analog converter (DAC) were also simulated.

In this thesis a prospective approach was developed to identify and to assess current as well as potentially upcoming product applications with focus on environmental releases and exposures of engineered nanomaterials. The developed product application scenarios were illustrated in case studies on iron oxide and silver nanoparticles. It was shown that despite of prevailing knowledge gaps, reasonable estimations for environmental releases and exposures can be made. This novel approach facilitates the identification of early indicators for precautionary risk management measures and among them benign by design concepts in technology and product development.

The thesis covers a broad range of electronic, optical and opto-electronic devices and various predicted physical effects. In particular, it examines the quantum interference transistor effect in graphene nanorings; tunable spin-filtering and spin-dependent negative differential resistance in composite heterostructures based on graphene and ferromagnetic materials; optical and novel electro-optical bistability and hysteresis in compound systems and the real-time control of radiation patterns of optical nanoantennas. The direction of the main radiation lobe of a regular plasmonic array can be changed abruptly by small variations in external control parameters. This optical effect, apart from its relevance for applications, is a revealing example of the Umklapp process and, thus, is a visual manifestation of one of the most fundamental laws of solid state physics: the conservation of the quasi-momentum to within a reciprocal lattice vector. The thesis analyzes not only results for particular device designs but also a variety of advanced numerical methods which are extended by the author and described in detail. These methods can be used as a sound starting point for further research.

This book focuses on the recent progress in nanophotonics technology to be used to develop novel nano-optical devices, fabrication technology and advanced systems. It reviews light-emitting diodes and lasers made of silicon bulk crystals in which the light emission principle is based on dressed-photon-phonons. Further topics include: theoretical studies of optoelectronic properties of molecular condensates for organic solar cells and light-emitting devices, the basics of topological light beams together with their important properties for laser spectroscopy, spatially localized modes emerging in nonlinear discrete dynamic systems and theoretical methods to explore the dynamics of nanoparticles by the light-induced force of tailored light fields under thermal fluctuations. These topics are reviewed by leading scientists. This overview is a variable resource for engineers and scientists working in the field of nanophotonics.

Authored by the developer of dressed photon science and technology as well as nanophotonics, this book outlines concepts of the subject using a novel theoretical framework that differs from conventional wave optics. It provides a quantum theoretical description of optical near fields and related problems that puts matter excitation such as electronic and vibrational ones on an equal footing with photons. By this description, optical near fields are interpreted as quasi-particles and named dressed photons which carry the material excitation energy in a nanometric space. The author then explores novel nanophotonic devices, fabrications, and energy conversion based on the theoretical picture of dressed photons. Further, this book looks at how the assembly of nanophotonic devices produces information and communication systems. Dressed photon science and technology is on its way to revolutionizing various applications in devices, fabrications, and systems. Promoting further exploration in the field, this book presents physically intuitive concepts, theories, and technical details for students, engineers, and scientists engaged in research and development in dressed photon science and technology as well as nanophotonics.

Frank Neumann focuses on establishing a theoretical basis that allows a description of the interplay between individual and collective processes in product development. For this purpose, he introduces the integrated descriptive model of knowledge creation as the first constituent of his research framework. As a second part of the research framework, an analysis and modeling method is proposed that captures the various knowledge conversion activities described by the integrated descriptive model of knowledge creation. Subsequently, this research framework is applied to the analysis of knowledge characteristics of mechatronic product development (MPD). Finally, the results gained from the previous steps are used within a design support system that aims at federating the information and knowledge resources contained in the models published in the various development activities of MPD.

In this book the coherent quantum transport of electrons through two-dimensional mesoscopic structures is explored in dependence of the interplay between the confining geometry and the impact of applied magnetic fields, aiming at conductance controllability. After a top-down, insightful presentation of the elements of mesoscopic devices and transport theory, a computational technique which treats multiterminal structures of arbitrary geometry and topology is developed. The method relies on the modular assembly of the electronic propagators of subsystems which are inter- or intra-connected providing large flexibility in system setups combined with high computational efficiency. Conductance control is first demonstrated for elongated quantum billiards and arrays thereof where a weak magnetic field tunes the current by phase modulation of interfering lead-coupled states geometrically separated from confined states. Soft-wall potentials are then employed for efficient and robust conductance switching by isolating energy persistent, collimated or magnetically deflected electron paths from Fano resonances. In a multiterminal configuration, the guiding and focusing property of curved boundary sections enables magnetically controlled directional transport with input electron waves flowing exclusively to selected outputs. Together with a comprehensive analysis of characteristic transport features and spatial distributions of scattering states, the results demonstrate the geometrically assisted design of magnetoconductance control elements in the linear response regime.

A variety of nanomaterials have excellent optoelectronic and electronic properties for novel device applications. At the same time, and with advances in silicon integrated circuit (IC) techniques, compatible Si-based nanomaterials hold promise of applying the advantages of nanomaterials to the conventional IC industry. This book focuses not only on silicon nanomaterials, but also summarizes up-to-date developments in the integration of non-silicon nanomaterials on silicon. The book showcases the work of leading researchers from around the world who address such key questions as: Which silicon nanomaterials can give the desired optical, electrical, and structural properties, and how are they prepared? What nanomaterials can be integrated on to a silicon substrate and how is this accomplished? What Si-based nanomaterials may bring a breakthrough in this field? These questions address the practical issues associated with the development of nanomaterial-based devices in applications areas such as solar cells, luminous devices for optical communication (detectors, lasers), and high mobility transistors. Investigation of silicon-based nanostructures is of great importance to make full use of nanomaterials for device applications. Readers will receive a comprehensive view of Si-based nanomaterials, which will hopefully stimulate interest in developing novel nanostructures or techniques to satisfy the requirements of high performance device applications. The goal is to make nanomaterials the main constituents of the high performance devices of the future.

This book presents the technological basics and applications of small-scale (mm to sub-mm in length-scales) soft robots and devices, written for researchers in both academia and industry. Author Jaeyoun Kim presents technological motivations, enabling factors, and examples in an inter-linked fashion, making it easy for readers to understand and explore how microscale soft robots are a solution to researchers in search of technological platforms for safe, human-friendly biomedical devices. A compact and timely introduction, this book summarizes not only the enabling factors for soft robots and MEMS devices, but also provides a survey of progress in the field and looks to the future in terms of the material, design, and application aspects this technology demonstrates.