Nanotweezers and nanomanipulator

Abstract

To provide nanotweezers and a nanomanipulator which allow great miniaturization of the component and are capable of gripping various types of nano-substances such as insulators, semiconductors and conductors and of gripping nano-substances of various shapes. Electrostatic nanotweezers are characterized in that the nanotweezers are comprised of a plurality of nanotubes whose base end portions are fastened to a holder so that the nanotubes protrude from the holder coating films which insulate and cover the surfaces of the nanotubes, and lead wires which are connected to two of the nanotubes and the tip ends of the two nanotubes are freely opened and closed by means of an electrostatic attractive force generated by applying a voltage across these lead wires. Furthermore, by way of forming a piezo-electric film on the surface of the nanotube and the tip ends of the nanotubes are freely opened and closed by expanding and contracting the piezo-electric film, thus allowing any desired nano-substances to be handled regardless of whether the nano-substances are insulators, semiconductors or conductors. Furthermore, if by way of designing three nanotubes so as to be freely opened and closed by an electrostatic system, nano-substances of various shapes such as spherical, rod-form, etc. can be handled. Moreover, a nanomanipulator that is constructed by combining the nanotweezers with a three-dimensional driving mechanism facilitates the gripping, moving and releasing of nano-substances.