Semi-analytical motion analysis of nano-steering devices, segmented piezotube scanners

Although the scanning probe microscopes (SPMs) and especially the atomic force microscope (AFM) are unrivaled devices for nanorobotic applications, their performance is hampered by some error sources, especially the scanner nonlinearities. For nonlinearities modeling and compensation, the present paper tries to introduce a new comprehensive viewpoint on the nonlinear behavior of the piezo scanners, especially the cylindrical ones. The static and free vibration analyses of the segmented piezotube scanners, presented using a semi-analytic approach, named the generalized differential quadrature method (GDQM), and some significant conclusions are achieved. Using a unique formulation for static solution, the negligibility of the cantilever mass and some manipulation forces are also proven. At the end, the effects of segmentation parameters are introduced and completely analyzed for the design optimization.