Design and Fabrication of a Disposable Nanoactuator Using 3D Printing

Nanoscale patterning has been widely used in various research fields. Conventional technology, however, has its limitations such as high cost and complicated processes. Recently, many alternative processes have been proposed to replace them. The major requirement for such an alternative process is that it does not require a mask, it must be capable of being processed at room temperature, and it needs to be an eco-friendly process. Photo electrophoretic deposition is a promising process that has various advantages, but it needs nanoscale movement of the reaction cell. In this study, a disposable nanoactuator was designed and manufactured to utilize the photo electrophoretic deposition process. In designing the nanoactuator, it is possible to accurately hold the position in the order of hundreds of nanometers for tens of seconds. The main variables are optimized to have a structure that can cause only single-axis displacement in a desired direction. Also, based on this design, the nanoactuator was fabricated by a 3D printer to verify its effectiveness. As a result, it was possible to manufacture an actuator that satisfies the desired performance, and a device will be fabricated by utilizing the actuator in a photo electrophoretic deposition process.