RU2678699C1 - Device for manipulation of micro-and nano-objects with storage function - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: nanomechanics.SUBSTANCE: invention relates to the field of mechanics, microsystem engineering and nano-mechanics, in particular, to the technique of devices based on materials with shape memory effect (SME), and can find application in the field of radio electronics, mechanical engineering, biotechnology, electron microscopy, and medicine. Device for manipulating micro- and nano-objects with the storage function includes a micromechanical actuator with a heating system, with the actuator containing fixed and movable flat elements located along its axis, the movable element is made of temperature-sensitive, consisting of two layers, and one of the layers is made of an alloy with shape memory effect, and the other is from elastic material, with both elements connected to one end of the actuator, and from the other end a gripper is formed to hold the micro or nano-objects. Device is characterized in that the micromechanical actuator is made by producing an extended through hole in a layered composite material with a reversible shape memory effect, the material includes crystalline and amorphous layers with their continuous inseparable compound on the border between them and the same chemical composition on both sides of the border, so that the fixed element is amorphous, and the movable temperature-sensitive element is amorphous-crystalline with a crystalline layer on the outer side of the actuator, the crystalline layer having shape memory and being pseudoplastic stretched, and the amorphous layer is elastic, while both elements are made with the possibility of increasing the capture gap to the maximum value with increasing temperature in the range of martensitic transformation in the crystalline layer and reducing the capture gap to the minimum value with decreasing temperature in the range of martensitic transformation in the crystalline layer; heating system is a temperature control module comprising a controller, a console with contacts, at least one Peltier element, a thermistor, a heat-conducting plate, a connector, configured to install the device on a micro- or nano-manipulator, a console with contacts is fixed on the connector at one end, and at the other end there is a Peltier element, on the opposite side of which there is a heat-conducting plate with a thermistor and a micromechanical actuator fixed on it, and the controller through the contacts on the console is electrically connected to the Peltier element and the thermistor. Method of manufacturing a micromechanical actuator is declared.EFFECT: device improves the reliability and service life of the product through the use of a solid composite of the same material without mechanical connection of the layers, the device allows to solve problems for nanoobjects, hold objects for an unlimited time without the application of additional energy, realizing the function of storing micro- and nano-objects, the use of temperature control allows to maintain a given temperature or work out a given mode of heating and cooling over time with high accuracy and speed; all of the above provides enhanced functionality of the product.5 cl, 8 dwg

Description

The invention relates to the field of mechanics, microsystemic engineering and nanomechanics, in particular to the technique of devices based on materials with shape memory effect (EPF), and can find application in the field of radio electronics, mechanical engineering, biotechnology, electron microscopy, medicine.

The invention is known "Composite functional material" (Patent RU No. 2381903, IPC BVB 15/01; C22F 1/00, published 02.20.2010 Bull. No. 5), which contains at least two layers, firmly connected to each other planes, one of which is made of a material having a reversible deformation when the external field changes in the working range, and the second layer is made of an elastoplastic material having a yield strength that is in the range of deformations of the composite functional material arising in it when the external field changes in the working range. The temperature field, the magnetic field, or the field of mechanical compressive or tensile stresses are used as the external field, and the material of the layers depends on the external field used.

The disadvantage of this invention is the low reliability and fragility of the obtained composite functional material, due to the fact that due to the connection of dissimilar materials at the boundary of the material layer with the electron-phase transition and the elastic layer, significant mechanical stresses develop during large bending deformations, which lead to delamination and loss of operability of the device cause instability of the device to cyclic loads.

The invention “Actuator, actuator system and method for its manufacture” is known (Patent RU No. 2305874, IPC Н01Н 61/04, published September 10, 2007), including an elastic element, mainly of a two-dimensional configuration, and an element with an electron-phase converter, firmly mechanically connected to each other flat side, moreover, the element with an electron phase transition has one-sided tensile or compression strain. The actuator system is made in the form of many actuators connected in parallel. A method of manufacturing an actuator includes operations of manufacturing an elastic element, an operation of manufacturing an element with an electron-phase converter and an operation of mechanically firmly connecting elements to each other with flat sides. Before the operation of mechanically strong connection of elements with flat sides, an element with a shape memory is trained for one-sided EPF until one-way tensile or compression deformation is achieved, and the operation of mechanically strong connection of elements is carried out at external parameters and an external field corresponding to the martensitic state of the element with shape memory.

The disadvantages of this invention are the low speed, the complexity of the application for controlling a microdevice, low reliability and fragility of the obtained composite functional material due to the connection of dissimilar materials.

The invention is known "Thermoelectromechanical transducer for a micromanipulator (options)" (Patent RU No. 2259914, IPC 7 B25J 7/00, published September 10, 2005), in which the transformer based on a deformable rod comprises a spiral electric heater and a bending spring located at the ends which made fixtures for linking the links of the micromanipulator, as well as the lower and upper rows of thermoelectric modules based on the Peltier effect (Peltier elements), mounted on opposite surfaces styah deformable rod rotatably. The deformable core is made of a material with an EPF. With the exception of the spiral electric heater, the deformable rod is made of an electrically conductive material with an electron-phase converter.

The disadvantages of the invention are the implementation of its design is cumbersome, difficult to control, having low speed, which makes it impossible to use it to control a microdevice.

Closest to the claimed technical solution, i.e. the prototype is the invention "a micromechanical device, a method for its manufacture and a system for manipulating micro- and nano-objects" (Patent RU No. 2458002, IPC B81B 3/00; F03G 7/06, published on 08/10/2012), in which the micromechanical device contains two flat elements at least one of which is made thermosensitive and consisting of two layers firmly interconnected, of which one is made of an alloy with an electron-phase transition with pseudoplastic tensile deformation, and the other is made of an elastic material. Flat elements are connected at one end, and a gripper is formed at the other end to hold the manipulated object. In the manufacture of the device, the alloy layer with EPF is preliminarily fabricated and pseudoplastic tensile deformation is introduced into it, and then it is connected to the elastic layer, the layers being connected at a temperature below the martensitic transformation temperature in the alloy with EPF. The micro-object manipulation system consists of a micromechanical device mounted on the microwire end of the nanopositioner, a working field with a manipulated object, and a heating source in the form of a semiconductor laser, the radiation of which is focused on the working field of the manipulation system, including the end of the microwire with micro tweezers.

The disadvantages of this invention is:

- low reliability and fragility of the micromechanical device, due to the fact that due to the mechanical connection of dissimilar materials at the boundary of the material layer with the EPF and the elastic layer during the cyclic operation of the micromechanical device with large bending deformations, significant mechanical stresses develop, which lead to delamination of the layered composite and rapid loss of device performance;

- low speed of the device due to the fact that the cooling of the micromechanical device (after being triggered by heating) occurs naturally, which takes considerable time under normal conditions at room temperature, and in high vacuum, for example, in the chamber of an electron or ion microscope during manipulation micro- and nano-objects, this time can increase several times, which leads to a significant decrease in the speed of the device and the limitation of its functionality;

- the impossibility of long-term retention and storage of individual micro- and nano-objects without the cost of additional energy.

The technical result consists in increasing speed, reliability, service life and expanding functionality, including the implementation of the storage function of micro- and nano-objects, a device for manipulating micro- and nano-objects.

The technical result is achieved by the creation of a device for manipulating micro- and nano-objects with a storage function, including a micromechanical actuator with a heating system, the actuator containing a fixed and movable flat elements located along its axis, the movable element is made of heat-sensitive, consisting of two layers, and one of the layers made of an alloy with a shape memory effect and the other made of an elastic material, both elements being connected at one end of the actuator and formed at the other end watts for holding micro- or nano-objects, the micromechanical actuator is made by manufacturing an extended through hole in a layered composite material with a reversible shape memory effect, including crystalline and amorphous layers with their continuous inextricable connection on the border between them and the same chemical composition on both sides of the border, so that the fixed element is amorphous, and the movable heat-sensitive element is amorphous-crystalline with a crystalline layer on the outside of the actu torus, moreover, the crystalline layer has a shape memory and is pseudoplastic stretched, and the amorphous layer is elastic, while both elements are configured to increase the capture gap to a maximum value with increasing temperature in the range of martensitic transformation in the crystalline layer and reduce the capture gap to a minimum value at a decrease in temperature in the range of martensitic transformation in the crystalline layer; the heating system is a temperature control module, including a controller, a console with contacts, at least one Peltier element, a thermistor, a heat-conducting plate, a connector configured to install the device on a micro or nanomanipulator, a console with contacts is fixed at one end of the connector, and at its other end there is a Peltier element, on the opposite side of which there is a heat-conducting plate with a thermistor and a micromechanical actuator fixed to it, and the controller p through the contacts on the console is electrically connected to the Peltier element and the thermistor.

In the particular case, the temperature control module is configured to bi-directional proportional-integral-differential control.

A method for manufacturing a micromechanical actuator is also proposed in which ultrafast quenching from a melt produces a layered composite material with a reversible shape memory effect in the form of a tape, including crystalline and amorphous layers with their continuous inextricable connection on the border between them and the same chemical composition on both sides of the border, this, in the amorphous layer of the composite material make an extended through hole along the tape parallel to the boundary between the layers and form a movable and fixed electric Actuator copes in such a way that both elements are left connected at one end of the actuator, and a grip is created at the other end of the actuator to hold micro- or nano-objects by separating the elements with a slot at a distance that corresponds to the minimum size of the captured object, while the position and width of the slot are selected sufficient to obtain a fixed element amorphous, and a moving element - amorphous-crystalline heat-sensitive, with a reversible shape memory effect, with the possibility of reversing it is possible to change the size of the capture gap when the temperature varies in the range of the martensitic transformation in the crystalline layer, and by varying the position and width of the slot, the ratio of the thicknesses of the amorphous and crystalline layers in the heat-sensitive movable element also changes, which determines the maximum capture gap when the heat-sensitive element is heated above the temperature of the end of the inverse martensitic transformations in the crystalline layer and, accordingly, the maximum size of the captured object.

In a particular case, for the manufacture of a micromechanical actuator, alloys of the TiNi-TiCu quasibinary system with a copper content of 17 to 34 at. %

In addition, the capture is carried out by selective ion etching.

Improving the reliability and service life of the proposed device for manipulating micro- and nano-objects is achieved by increasing the stability and durability of the micromechanical actuator made using a layered composite material with reversible EPF, which is obtained in one technological process, forming amorphous and crystalline layers with an inextricable connection of structural phases at their boundary, therefore, in contrast to the prototype, the heat-sensitive movable element of the actuator is layers a simple amorphous-crystalline composite without mechanical bonding of layers and a continuous material of the same chemical composition.

When the micromechanical actuator is heated, the capture gap increases to the maximum value, and when cooling, the capture gap decreases to the minimum value; therefore, the device is capable of capturing small objects with at least one of the sizes exceeding the minimum capture gap, for example, nano-objects (carbon nanotube, graphene sheet, whisker, etc.), and hold them unlimited time without the application of additional energy, realizing the function of storing micro- and nano-objects.

In turn, control of the actuator using a temperature control module based on Peltier elements allows you to maintain a given temperature or work out a given heating and cooling mode in time with high accuracy and speed, providing increased device performance compared to the prototype.

Thus, all of the above together expands the functionality of the device for manipulating micro- and nano-objects, which increases the efficiency of its use in various fields of technology and medicine.

The claimed invention is illustrated by the following figures.

FIG. 1 - shows a device for manipulating micro and nanoobjects.

FIG. 2 - shows a micromechanical actuator for capturing micro- and nano-objects (micro-tweezers) in the initial (a, c) and heated (b, d) states.

FIG. 3 shows an image of a typical cross-section of an amorphous-crystalline composite material in the form of a tape (a) and a diagram of a plant for producing amorphous-crystalline ribbons from an alloy with an EPP by fast quenching from a melt (b).

FIG. Figure 4 shows cross-sectional images of rapidly quenched amorphous-crystalline ribbons of Ti ₅₀ Ni ₅₀ Cu ₂₅ alloy obtained at cooling rates of 9⋅10 ⁵ K / s (a), 7⋅10 ⁵ K / s (b), 5⋅10 ⁵ K / s (c).

FIG. 5 - shows a schematic representation of the process for producing a rapidly quenched layered amorphous-crystalline composite (a, b) and its shape during thermal cycling in the range of martensitic transformation (c, d).

FIG. 6 shows an example of a reversible change in the shape of a segment of a rapidly quenched amorphous-crystalline ribbon of an alloy Ti ₅₀ Ni ₅₀ Cu ₂₅ in a heating-cooling cycle.

FIG. 7 shows an example of a micromechanical actuator made at the end of a piece of tape from an alloy with a reversible EPF.

FIG. 8 shows an example of a micromechanical actuator mounted on a conically pointed end of a microwire.

The following is an example of a specific device implementation. A device for manipulating micro- and nano-objects with a storage function (Fig. 1) contains a micromechanical actuator 1 and a heating system, which represents a temperature control module, including a controller (not shown), at least one Peltier element 2, thermistor 3, console 4 with contacts 5, a heat-conducting plate 6, a connector 7, configured to install the device on a micro- or nanomanipulator using a protruding part 8, a console 4 with contacts 5 is fixed at the connector 7 with one end, and an electrical connector is placed at its other end Peltier cop 2 on the opposite side of which is a thermally conductive plate 6 fixed thereto by the thermistor 3 and micromechanical actuator 1 and the controller through the contacts 5 on the console 4 is electrically connected to the Peltier element 2 and a thermistor 3.

In the device for manipulating micro- and nano-objects with the storage function (Fig. 1), the micromechanical actuator (micro forceps) 1 is mounted on a heat-conducting plate 6 made, for example, of silver. The heat-conducting plate 6 is located on the Peltier element 2, consisting of one or more pairs of miniature semiconductor parallelepipeds - one n-type and one p-type in a pair (for example, bismuth telluride Bi ₂ Te ₃ and silicon germanium), which are pairwise connected using metal jumpers, for example, TE-12-0.45-1.3, which heats or cools it. A thermistor 3, for example, NCP03XV103, measures the temperature on a heat-conducting plate 6. A Peltier element 2, a thermistor 3 and a heat-conducting plate 6 are located on a console 4 made of a dielectric material with high thermal conductivity, for example, aluminum nitride, with, for example, deposited on it by spraying, metal contacts 5. The console 4 is mounted on a connector 7, made with the possibility of connection with a 3D-movement manipulator (not shown) and serving as a heat conduit for heat removal / supply. The connector 7 is provided with a protruding part 8, for example, a cylindrical shape with a diameter of 0.5 mm and a length of 35-50 mm, for fixing the device to a micro- or nanomanipulator, for example, Omniprobe, Kleindiek or SmarAct MCS-3D. A device mounted on a micro- or nanomanipulator is capable of moving a captured object in space. The selected (predetermined) mode of heating and cooling of the device is carried out using the temperature control module.

The temperature control module contains a controller, for example, a DX5100 controller, which is a precision programmable control device for thermoelectric modules (Peltier elements). The controller implements bidirectional (heating and cooling) PID (proportional-integral-differential) regulation. The controller allows you to maintain the set temperature of the module with high accuracy or to work out the set heating and cooling program in time at high speed. The controller introduced the diagnostic function of the control object, which includes measuring the resistance of the object on alternating current, thermoelectric figure of merit and time constant. The auto-tuning function of the PID controller parameters is implemented. The controller, which in turn gives the command to heat or cool the heat-conducting plate 6, is controlled by software, for example, the DX5100 Vision program.

The device operates as follows.

In the initial state, below the temperature of the end of the direct martensitic transformation M _to micromechanical actuator 1 (micro forceps) is made with a gap h between the heat-sensitive movable element 10 and the stationary element 11, the value of which determines the minimum size of the captured object (Fig. 2a, c). FIP technology allows you to make a cut with a minimum width of 2-4 nm. When a control signal is supplied from the controller to the Peltier element 2 through contacts 5 on the console 4 (Fig. 1), which leads to heating above the temperature of the end of the reverse martensitic transformation A _{to the} heat-conducting plate 6 with the thermistor 3 and micromechanical actuator 1 fixed on it, the movable element 10 (cantilever) bends, increasing the capture gap to a value of H (Fig. 2b, d), which determines the maximum size of the captured object. Further, the temperature control module based on Peltier elements maintains the accuracy of the actuator 1 with an accuracy of ± 0.5 ° C, providing a maximum value H of the capture gap until the captured object is placed between the movable element 10 and the stationary element 11. When a control signal is sent from the controller to the element Peltier 2, leading to the cooling of the heat-conducting plate 6 below the temperature M _k , the actuator 1 returns to its original state (Fig. 2a) due to the implementation of a reversible EPF, capturing an object located between the first movable member 10 and the fixed member 11 of the actuator 1. The actuator 1 Reheating temperature above A _to again lead to an increase in capture gap to a value H and the release of the object. Thus, the device is capable of capturing small objects in which at least one of the sizes exceeds the value of h, for example, nano-objects (carbon nanotube, graphene sheet, whisker, etc.), hold them for an unlimited time without the application of additional energy, if not allowed heating the environment above the temperature of the beginning of the reverse martensitic transformation A _n , move captured objects in space when the device is mounted on a micro- or nanomanipulator and release objects after they are delivered to the place of investigation niya or use. Thus, the device performs a complete technological cycle: selection of a micro- or nano-object - capture using a micromechanical actuator (micro-forceps) - 3D-movement with a micromanipulator - release. In addition, a micromechanical actuator (micro forceps) mounted on any holder, for example, on the needle of a nanomanipulator, can be used for long-term storage of individual micro and nano-objects without the cost of additional energy.

The following is an example of a specific implementation of the method of manufacturing a micromechanical actuator 1 (Fig. 2). The proposed method includes the production of ultrafast melt quenching layered composite material 14 with reversible EPF in the form of a tape (Fig. 3a) containing crystalline 12 and amorphous 13 layers with their continuous inextricable connection on the border between them and the same chemical composition on both sides of the border. Obtaining material 14 consists in casting a melt jet from a crucible onto a cylindrical surface of a quenching copper disk rotating about a horizontal axis (Fig. 3b). The melt 15 obtained in the crucible 16 by heating the alloy ingot with a high-frequency inductor 17 is discharged onto the quenching copper disk 18 by supplying an inert gas, for example helium, with excess pressure, into the crucible and solidifies in the form of a tape 14. The melt is cooled at a speed V, which determines the ratio of amorphous and crystalline layer thicknesses 13, 12, with the change in the melt cooling rate V is effected by varying the speed of rotation of the copper disk quenching V _0, setting and controlling technological parameters s melt quenching process, for example, the size and shape of the pouring opening in the crucible, the melt temperature, the distance between the spout of the melt from the crucible base and quenching disk overpressure value for extruding the melt from the crucible. The rotation speed V _{0 is} changed, for example, in the range of 1000-2000 rpm. The cooling rate is estimated by the expression: V≅2π⋅R⋅V ₀ ⋅ (T _m -T _g ) / L, where T _m and T _g are the melting and glass transition temperatures; R is the radius of the hardening disk; L is the size of the zone of collision of the melt jet with the surface of the drum. The temperature of the melt at the time of casting from the crucible is set, for example, 1150 ° C. The width of the tape varies, for example, in the range of 1-20 mm, the length of the tape is up to several tens of meters. For the manufacture of the material using an alloy with a high tendency to amorphization, for example, alloys of the quasi-binary system TiNi-TiCu with a copper content of 17 to 34 at. % Ingots from Ti-Ni-Cu alloys are made in an arc furnace with six-time remelting in an argon atmosphere in the field of high-frequency currents. For the manufacture of ingots, pure materials are used, for example, electrode nickel (Ni Н0), oxygen-free copper (Cu М0), titanium iodide (purity 99.999).

When quenching from a liquid state with high melt cooling rates (more than 10 ⁶ K / s), an alloy, for example, Ti ₅₀ Ni ₅₀ Cu ₂₅ , is obtained in the form of a thin ribbon (20-50 μm) in an amorphous state, however, due to the difference in quenching rates on the surface of the tape in contact with the quenching disk-cooler and in the volume of the tape, at lower melt cooling rates, for example (10 ⁵ ÷ 10 ⁶ K / s), a surface crystalline layer is formed on the non-contact (free) surface of the tape 12 , i.e. such a tape is a layered amorphous-crystalline composite 14 (Fig. 3A). Depending on the melt cooling rate V, which is established by selecting the rotation speed V _{0 of the} copper disk 18, the ratio of the thicknesses of amorphous 13 and crystalline layers 12 varies. In particular, a decrease in V from 9 × 10 ⁵ to ⁵ × 10 ⁵ K / s leads to an increase in the thickness of the crystalline layer d _cr from 0.4 to 10 μm with a practically constant ribbon thickness (Fig. 4).

Amorphous-crystalline composite 14 exhibits a reversible EPF bending, which is explained as follows. During its manufacturing, a part of the melt 15 solidifies upon forming a quenching copper disk 18 to form an amorphous phase 13, while the other part of the melt does not solidify on the surface of the quenching disk 18, but on the already formed amorphous layer 13 (Fig. 5a). In this case, the cooling rate of the outer (non-contact) layer decreases, which upon solidification leads to the formation of a crystalline structure in this layer 12. Further cooling of the crystalline layer 12 would lead to its reduction due to the thermal compression process, however, the amorphous layer 13 having a smaller coefficient of thermal linear expansion (KTLR), higher strength and greater thickness, prevents this process (Fig. 56). As a result, upon cooling to room temperature, the crystalline layer 12 is pseudoplastic stretched (Fig. 5c). If such a composite is heated above the temperature A _n in the material of the crystalline layer 12, then due to the implementation of the electron phase transfer, the crystalline layer 12 will tend to compress, which will lead to the bending of the composite like a bimetallic plate (Fig. 5d). When cooled below temperature M _to due to the elasticity of the amorphous layer 13, the composite 14 is returned to its original state (Fig. 5B).

Thus, the layered composite material 14 has a reversible bending shape memory (Fig. 6) due to thermoelastic martensitic transformations in the crystalline layer 12 and the counter force from the elastic amorphous layer 13, and this material does not require any additional processing, which simplifies the process its manufacture and increases the stability of the material during the manifestation of reversible EPF.

To form a movable 10 and a fixed 11 elements of the actuator 1 (Fig. 2) in the amorphous layer 13 of the composite material 14 make an extended through hole 9 along the tape parallel to the boundary between the layers 12, 13 so that both elements 10 are left from one end of the actuator 1, 11 connected, and from the other end of the actuator create a grip for holding micro- or nano-objects by separating the elements 10, 11 by the slot 9 by a distance h, which corresponds to the minimum size of the captured object. In this case, the position and width of the slot 9 is selected to be amorphous enough to obtain the fixed element 11 and the amorphous crystalline heat-sensitive element 10 with the crystalline layer 12 on the outer side of the actuator, the crystal layer 12 having a shape memory and is pseudo-plastic stretched, and the amorphous layer is resilient. As a result, a movable element 10 is formed with the possibility of increasing the capture gap to a maximum value of H with increasing temperature in the range of martensitic transformation in the crystalline layer 12 and reducing the capture gap to a minimum value of h with decreasing temperature in the interval of martensitic transformation in the crystalline layer 12. By varying the position and the width of the slot 9 also change the ratio of the thicknesses of the amorphous and crystalline layers (d _am and d _cr , respectively) in the heat-sensitive movable element 10, which determines the maximum capture gap H when the heat-sensitive element 10 is heated above temperature A _k in the crystalline layer 12 and, accordingly, the maximum size of the captured object.

In FIG. 2c, d shows an example of a specific implementation of a micromechanical actuator 1 made by selective ion etching using focused ion beam technology (FIP) from an amorphous crystalline tape 14 with a thickness of about 4.5 μm, in the initial “cold” (below temperature M _k ) state (Fig. 2c) and in the "hot" (above temperature A _to ) state after heating (Fig. 2d).

The thicknesses of amorphous d _am and crystalline d _cr layers in the movable element (cantilever) 10, as well as their ratio, vary:

1) the choice of the composition of the composite material 14 and the cooling rate of the melt V;

2) the location and size of the hole 9 made in the material 14;

3) a decrease in the thickness of the amorphous 13 and crystalline 12 layers simultaneously or separately, for example, by chemical or electrochemical etching.

In this example, a specific implementation of the micromechanical actuator 1 (micro-forceps) of a layered composite material 14 with reversible EPF made of an alloy Ti ₅₀ Ni ₂₅ Cu ₂₅ ultrafast quenching from a melt, the characteristic dimensions of this device are shown (Fig. 2):

- the thickness of the crystalline layer in the cantilever 10: d _cr = 0.8 μm;

- the thickness of the amorphous layer in the cantilever 10: d _am = 1.1 μm;

- the total thickness of the cantilever 10: d = d _cr + d _am = 1.9 μm;

- cantilever length 10:

- hole width 9: b = 0.9 μm:

- total thickness of the actuator 1: D = 4.4 μm;

- the width of the actuator 1: a = 3-5 microns;

- the maximum gap width varies in the range: H = 1-5 microns;

- the minimum gap width varies in the range: h = 5-1000 nm.

With this configuration, a device for manipulating micro- and nano-objects is capable of capturing and storing micro- and nano-objects ranging in size from 5 nm to 5 μm, and when attached to a micro- or nanomanipulator, move a captured object in space.

The response time (speed) of the device for manipulating micro- and nano-objects is determined by the speed of the micromechanical actuator (micro-tweezers) and temperature conditions set on the temperature control module, depending on the specific application of the device. In an example of a specific embodiment of the device (Fig. 2c, d), an increase in the capture gap to a value of H = 1.92 μm during heating of the micro-tweezers and a decrease in the capture gap to a value of h = 0.78 μm during cooling of the micro-tweezers took place at the same time 800 ms.

To simplify the process of fixing the micromechanical actuator 1 on the heat-conducting plate 6, the actuator 1 (micro forceps) is formed, for example, by the method of selective ion etching using focused ion beam technology (FIP), at the end of a segment of amorphous-crystalline tape 14 made of an alloy with EPF (Fig. 7). In another particular case, for example, using the technology of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) in the FIP apparatus, the actuator 1 is fixed, for example, with tungsten or platinum 19, to the conically pointed, for example, up to 5 μm, end of the microwire 20, for example, with a diameter 500 μm, with high thermal conductivity, for example, of metal (copper or tungsten) or ceramic (Fig. 8).

Thus, in comparison with the prototype, the proposed device for manipulating micro- and nano-objects with a storage function and a method for manufacturing a micromechanical actuator significantly increase the reliability and service life of the product due to the implementation of the thermosensitive movable element of the actuator in the form of an amorphous-crystalline composite, which is a continuous material of one chemical composition without mechanical connection of the layers. The device is able to capture small objects, for example, nano-objects (carbon nanotube, graphene sheet, whisker, etc.), and hold them unlimited time without the application of additional energy, realizing the function of storing micro- and nano-objects. Actuator control (micro-tweezers) by means of a temperature control module based on Peltier elements allows you to maintain a given temperature or work out a given heating and cooling mode in time with high accuracy and speed. All of the above provides increased resistance to cyclic loads, reliability and speed of the product, expands its functionality compared to the prototype, which is crucial for such modern areas of technology as micro- and nanomechanics (MEMS and NEMS), robotics, energy, instrument making, aviation and space technology, biomedicine and bioengineering.

Claims (5)

1. A device for manipulating micro- and nano-objects with a storage function, including a micromechanical actuator with a heating system, the actuator comprising a fixed and movable flat elements located along its axis, the movable element is made of heat-sensitive, consisting of two layers, and one of the layers is made of alloy with a shape memory effect and the other from an elastic material, while both elements are connected at one end of the actuator, and a grip is formed at the other end to hold micro- or nano-objects from characterized in that the micromechanical actuator is made by manufacturing an extended through hole in a layered composite material with a reversible shape memory effect, including crystalline and amorphous layers with their continuous inextricable connection on the border between them and the same chemical composition on both sides of the border, so that the fixed element is amorphous, and the movable heat-sensitive element is amorphous-crystalline with a crystalline layer on the outer side of the actuator, and crystalline The blue layer has a shape memory and is pseudoplastic stretched, and the amorphous layer is elastic, both elements are configured to increase the capture gap to a maximum value with increasing temperature in the range of martensitic transformation in the crystalline layer and reduce the capture gap to a minimum value with decreasing temperature in the martensitic transformation range in the crystalline layer; the heating system is a temperature control module, including a controller, a console with contacts, at least one Peltier element, a thermistor, a heat-conducting plate, a connector configured to install the device on a micro or nanomanipulator, a console with contacts is fixed at one end of the connector, and at its other end is a Peltier element, on the opposite side of which there is a heat-conducting plate with a thermistor and a micromechanical actuator fixed to it, and the controller through the contacts on the console electrically connected to the Peltier element and the thermistor. 2. The device according to p. 1, characterized in that the temperature control module is configured to bi-directional proportional-integral-differential regulation. 3. A method of manufacturing a micromechanical actuator with a storage function in which ultrafast quenching from a melt produces a layered composite material with a reversible shape memory effect in the form of a tape, including crystalline and amorphous layers with their continuous inextricable connection on the border between them and the same chemical composition on both sides boundaries, characterized in that in the amorphous layer of the composite material make an extended through hole along the tape parallel to the boundary between the layers and form a movable and fixed elements of the actuator in such a way that both elements remain connected at one end of the actuator and create a grip on the other end of the actuator to hold micro- or nano-objects by separating the elements with a slot at a distance that corresponds to the minimum size of the captured object, while choosing the position and width of the slot sufficient to obtain a fixed element amorphous, and a moving element - amorphous-crystalline heat-sensitive, with a reversible shape memory effect, with the possibility it is possible to reversibly change the capture gap when the temperature varies in the range of martensitic transformation in the crystalline layer, and by varying the position and width of the slot, the ratio of the thicknesses of the amorphous and crystalline layers in the heat-sensitive movable element also changes, which determines the maximum capture gap when the heat-sensitive element is heated above the temperature of the end of the return martensitic transformation in the crystalline layer and, accordingly, the maximum size of the captured object a. 4. The method according to p. 3, characterized in that for the manufacture of a micromechanical actuator select alloys of the quasi-binary system TiNi-TiCu with a copper content of from 17 to 34 at. % 5. The method according to p. 3, characterized in that the capture is carried out by selective ion etching.

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