Interaction Forces on Nanoscale: Manipulator-Object-Surface

The forces of interaction between objects on the nanoscale greatly affect the process of 3D nanomapulation. The work is devoted to an experimental study of the sticking force of nanoobjects (ZnO nanowhiskers) to a micro nanomanipulator (composite nanotweezers Ti₂NiCu with shape memory effect (SME). Surface interaction is very important, at the both stages of capture, and detachment from the substrate of the nanoobject, and when the object is freed from capture and fixed to a new substrate. The interaction was observed in a SEM equipped with a Kleindiek micromanipulator. The nanotweezers were fixed on the tip of tungsten microwire. It approached and removed from the ZnO nanowhisker. The critical distance at which the attraction begins to appear was determined for the metal surface of the nanotweezers and for the surface covered with thin ZnO film.