-- MarkCutkosky - 05 May 2005

From

KIRT.R.WILLIAMS@saic.com

Subject

FW: Nanotube Climber Program

Date

May 5, 2005 12:08:48 PM PDT

To

cutkosky@stanford.edu

Mark--

Here's a starting point for tasks in a DARPA program. Dennis is in a meeting for a few more minutes (as os 12:09 pm PDT).

Phase 1

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a. Obtain glass and other smooth representative surfaces that we would want to climb [Kirt] b. Measure profile/roughness at larger length scale: ~10 um horizontal resolution/10 nm vertical resolution with Alphastep profilometer. [Kirt] c. Measure profile/roughness at finer length scale: ~1 nm horizontal resolution/0.1 nm vertical resolution with atomic force microscope (AFM). [Kirt] d. Have Prof. Cutkowsky's group model gripping of nanotubes of different diameters (say 50, 100, and 150 nm) and different angles (say 0, 15, 30, and 45 degrees from the normal). [Mark] e. Demonstrate growing tubes 150 nm diameter, 10 um long, and near best gripping angle on polycrystalline silicon. [David] f. Measure gripping force as a function of normal load (this may require building a setup, which will add time). [Kirt, Mark] g. Based on Stanford input, design a micromachined suspension for nanotube-covered plates (e.g., 100-um square pads held by springs, with 1 um of travel). Call this the "Level 1" suspension. [Kirt]

Cost and times as yet unknown.

Phase 2

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a. Fabricate the Level 1 micromachined suspension (say 1 cm^2). [Kirt] b. Grow appropriate nanotubes on Level 1 suspension and flat plate of same area. [David] c. Test gripping of nanotube with suspension and on flat plate on various surfaces. It should be better with the suspension than without on non-uniform surfaces. [Kirt, Mark] d. Design a Level 2 suspension/actuator. [Kirt]

Phase 3

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a. Build the Level 2 suspension/actuator. [Kirt]

Kirt R. Williams, Ph.D., P.E. Senior Scientist, Sensor Technology Division, SAIC kirt.r.williams@saic.com Office 650-529-3446