Three-dimensional (3-D) automated micromanipulation at scale of several micrometers using a nanotip gripper is presented. The gripper is constructed from protrudent tips of two independently actuated atomic force microscope (AFM) cantilevers and each cantilever. A protocol allows these two cantilevers to form a gripper for grasping and releasing the microspheres to target positions without obstacle of adhesive forces in air. For grasping, amplitude feedback from the dithering cantilevers is

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... oyed to locate the grasping points by laterally scanning the side of the microspheres. Real time force sensing is used to monitor the whole process of the pick-and-place with steps of pickup, transport and release. For trajectory planning, an algorithm based on the shortest path solution is used to obtained 3-D micropatterns with high efficiencies. In experiments, microspheres with diameters from 3 µm to 4 µm were manipulated and 3-D micropyramids with two layers were achieved. 3-D micromanipulation and 3-D microassembly at the scale of several microns to submicron could become feasible through the newly developed nanotip gripper. 978-1-4244-3804-4/09/$25.00 ©2009 IEEE