Publications

@article{J20d,

title = {Electrode Configurations for Piezoelectric Tube Actuators With Improved Scan Range and Reduced Cross-Coupling},

author = {D. S. Raghunvanshi and S. I. Moore and A. J. Fleming and Y. K. Yong},

url = {https://www.precisionmechatronicslab.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/J20d.pdf},

doi = {10.1109/TMECH.2020.2978241},

issn = {00346748},

year  = {2020},

date = {2020-06-01},

journal = {IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics},

volume = {25},

number = {3},

pages = {1479-1486},

abstract = {Piezoelectric force and position sensors provide high sensitivity but are limited at low frequencies due to their high-pass response which complicates the direct application of integral control. To overcome this issue, an additional sensor or low-frequency correction method is typically employed. However, these approaches introduce an additional first-order response that must be higher than the high-pass response of the piezo and interface electronics. This article describes a simplified method for low-frequency correction that uses the piezoelectric sensor as an electrical component in a filter circuit. The resulting response is first-order, rather than second-order, with a cut-off frequency equal to that of a buffer circuit with the same input resistance. The proposed method is demonstrated to allow simultaneous damping and tracking control of a high-speed vertical nanopositioning stage.},

keywords = {Actuator, Nanopositioning, piezoelectric, Piezoelectric Transducers and Drives},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Moore2019c,

title = {An optimization framework for the design of piezoelectric AFM cantilevers},

author = {S. I. Moore and M. G. Ruppert and Y. K. Yong},

url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0141635919302260},

year  = {2019},

date = {2019-08-15},

urldate = {2019-08-15},

journal = {Precision Engineering},

volume = {60},

pages = {130-142},

abstract = {To facilitate further miniaturization of atomic force microscopy (AFM) cantilevers and to eliminate the standard optical beam deflection sensor, integrated piezoelectric actuation and sensing on the chip level is a promising option. This article presents a topology optimization method for dynamic mode AFM cantilevers that maximizes the sensitivity of an integrated piezoelectric sensor under stiffness and resonance frequency constraints. Included in the formulation is a new material model C-SIMP (connectivity and solid isotropic material with penalization) that extends the SIMP model to explicitly include the penalization of unconnected structures. Example cantilever designs demonstrate the potential of the topology optimization method. The results show, firstly, the C-SIMP material model significantly reduces connectivity issues and, secondly, arbitrary cantilever topologies can produce increases in sensor sensitivity or resonance frequency compared to a rectangular topology.},

note = {This work was supported by the Australian Research Council Discovery Project DP170101813},

keywords = {AFM, Cantilever, DP170101813, MEMS, Piezoelectric Transducers and Drives, Smart Structures, SPM},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Ruppert2018b,

title = {Multimodal atomic force microscopy with optimized higher eigenmode sensitivity using on-chip piezoelectric actuation and sensing},

author = {M. G. Ruppert and S. I. Moore and M. Zawierta and A. J. Fleming and G. Putrino and Y. K. Yong},

url = {https://www.precisionmechatronicslab.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Ruppert_2019_Nanotechnology_30_085503.pdf},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6528/aae40b},

year  = {2019},

date = {2019-01-02},

urldate = {2019-01-02},

journal = {Nanotechnology},

volume = {30},

number = {8},

pages = {085503},

abstract = {Atomic force microscope (AFM) cantilevers with integrated actuation and sensing provide several distinct advantages over conventional cantilever instrumentation. These include clean frequency responses, the possibility of down-scaling and parallelization to cantilever arrays as well as the absence of optical interference. While cantilever microfabrication technology has continuously advanced over the years, the overall design has remained largely unchanged; a passive rectangular shaped cantilever design has been adopted as the industry wide standard. In this article, we demonstrate multimode AFM imaging on higher eigenmodes as well as bimodal AFM imaging with cantilevers using fully integrated piezoelectric actuation and sensing. The cantilever design maximizes the higher eigenmode deflection sensitivity by optimizing the transducer layout according to the strain mode shape. Without the need for feedthrough cancellation, the read-out method achieves close to zero actuator/sensor feedthrough and the sensitivity is sufficient to resolve the cantilever Brownian motion.},

note = {This work was supported by the Australian Research Council Discovery Project DP170101813},

keywords = {AFM, Cantilever, DP170101813, MEMS, Multifrequency AFM, Piezoelectric Transducers and Drives, Sensors, Smart Structures, SPM},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{J18e,

title = {Piezoelectric Bimorph Actuator with Integrated Strain Sensing Electrodes},

author = {S. Z. Mansour and R. J. Seethaler and Y. R. Teo and Y. K. Yong and A. J. Fleming},

url = {https://www.precisionmechatronicslab.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/J18e.pdf},

doi = {10.1109/JSEN.2018.2842138},

issn = {1530-437X},

year  = {2018},

date = {2018-07-01},

journal = {IEEE Sensors Journal},

volume = {18},

number = {4},

abstract = {This article describes a new method for estimating the tip displacement of piezoelectric benders. Two resistive strain gauges are fabricated within the top and bottom electrodes using an acid etching process. These strain gauges are employed in a half bridge electrical configuration to measure the surface resistance change, and estimate the tip displacement. Experimental validation shows a 1.1 % maximum difference between the strain sensor and a laser triangulation sensor. Using the presented method, a damping-integral control structure is designed to control the tip displacement of the integrated bender},

keywords = {Piezoelectric Transducers and Drives},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Ruppert2017b,

title = {Note: Guaranteed collocated multimode control of an atomic force microscope cantilever using on-chip piezoelectric actuation and sensing},

author = {M. G. Ruppert and Y. K. Yong},

url = {https://www.precisionmechatronicslab.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/2017_JNote_RSI_Vol88_086109-2.pdf},

doi = {10.1063/1.4990451},

year  = {2017},

date = {2017-08-15},

urldate = {2017-08-15},

journal = {Review of Scientific Instruments},

volume = {88},

number = {086109},

abstract = {The quality (Q) factor is an important parameter of the resonance of the microcantilever as it determines

both imaging bandwidth and force sensitivity. The ability to control the Q factor of multiple

modes is believed to be of great benefit for atomic force microscopy techniques involving multiple

eigenmodes. In this paper, we propose a novel cantilever design employing multiple piezoelectric

transducers which are used for separated actuation and sensing, leading to guaranteed collocation

of the first eight eigenmodes up to 3 MHz. The design minimizes the feedthrough usually observed

with these systems by incorporating a guard trace on the cantilever chip. As a result, a multimode

Q controller is demonstrated to be able to modify the quality factor of the first two eigenmodes over

up to four orders of magnitude without sacrificing robust stability.},

note = {This work was supported by the Australian Research Council Discovery Project DP170101813},

keywords = {AFM, Cantilever, DP170101813, MEMS, Multifrequency AFM, Piezoelectric Transducers and Drives, System Identification, Vibration Control},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Moore2017b,

title = {Multimodal cantilevers with novel piezoelectric layer topology for sensitivity enhancement},

author = {S. I. Moore and M. G. Ruppert and Y. K. Yong},

url = {https://www.precisionmechatronicslab.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/2190-4286-8-38.pdf},

year  = {2017},

date = {2017-02-06},

urldate = {2017-02-06},

journal = {Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology},

volume = {8},

pages = {358--371},

abstract = {Self-sensing techniques for atomic force microscope (AFM) cantilevers have several advantageous characteristics compared to the optical beam deflection method. The possibility of down scaling, parallelization of cantilever arrays and the absence of optical interference associated imaging artifacts have led to an increased research interest in these methods. However, for multifrequency AFM, the optimization of the transducer layout on the cantilever for higher order modes has not been addressed. To fully utilize an integrated piezoelectric transducer, this work alters the layout of the piezoelectric layer to maximize both the deflection of the cantilever and measured piezoelectric charge response for a given mode with respect to the spatial distribution of the strain. On a prototype cantilever design, significant increases in actuator and sensor sensitivities were achieved for the first four modes without any substantial increase in sensor noise. The transduction mechanism is specifically targeted at multifrequency AFM and has the potential to provide higher resolution imaging on higher order modes.},

note = {This work was supported by the Australian Research Council Discovery Project DP170101813},

keywords = {Cantilever, DP170101813, Multifrequency AFM, Piezoelectric Transducers and Drives, SPM},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Ruppert2017,

title = {On-chip Dynamic Mode Atomic Force Microscopy: A silicon-on-insulator MEMS approach},

author = {M. G. Ruppert and A. G. Fowler and M. Maroufi and S. O. R. Moheimani},

doi = {10.1109/JMEMS.2016.2628890},

year  = {2017},

date = {2017-02-01},

journal = {IEEE Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems},

volume = {26},

number = {1},

pages = {215-225},

abstract = {The atomic force microscope (AFM) is an invaluable scientific tool; however, its conventional implementation as a relatively costly macroscale system is a barrier to its more widespread use. A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) approach to AFM design has the potential to significantly reduce the cost and complexity of the AFM, expanding its utility beyond current applications. This paper presents an on-chip AFM based on a silicon-on-insulator MEMS fabrication process. The device features integrated xy electrostatic actuators and electrothermal sensors as well as an AlN piezoelectric layer for out-of-plane actuation and integrated deflection sensing of a microcantilever. The three-degree-of-freedom design allows the probe scanner to obtain topographic tapping-mode AFM images with an imaging range of up to 8μm x 8μm in closed loop.},

keywords = {MEMS, Nanopositioning, Piezoelectric Transducers and Drives, Sensors, Smart Structures, SPM, Tracking Control},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Ruppert2016b,

title = {High-bandwidth Multimode Self-sensing in Bimodal Atomic Force Microscopy},

author = {M. G. Ruppert and S. O. R. Moheimani},

doi = {10.3762/bjnano.7.26},

year  = {2016},

date = {2016-02-24},

journal = {Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology},

volume = {7},

pages = {284-295},

abstract = {Using standard microelectromechanical system (MEMS) processes to coat a microcantilever with a piezoelectric layer results in a versatile transducer with inherent self-sensing capabilities. For applications in multifrequency atomic force microscopy (MF-AFM), we illustrate that a single piezoelectric layer can be simultaneously used for multimode excitation and detection of the cantilever deflection. This is achieved by a charge sensor with a bandwidth of 10 MHz and dual feedthrough cancellation to recover the resonant modes that are heavily buried in feedthrough originating from the piezoelectric capacitance. The setup enables the omission of the commonly used piezoelectric stack actuator and optical beam deflection sensor, alleviating limitations due to distorted frequency responses and instrumentation cost, respectively. The proposed method benefits from a more than two orders of magnitude increase in deflection to strain sensitivity on the fifth eigenmode leading to a remarkable signal-to-noise ratio. Experimental results using bimodal AFM imaging on a two component polymer sample validate that the self-sensing scheme can therefore be used to provide both the feedback signal, for topography imaging on the fundamental mode, and phase imaging on the higher eigenmode.},

keywords = {MEMS, Multifrequency AFM, Piezoelectric Transducers and Drives, Vibration Control},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{J16f,

title = {Design of a Charge Drive for Reducing Hysteresis in a Piezoelectric Bimorph Actuator},

author = {S. A. Rios and A. J. Fleming},

url = {https://www.precisionmechatronicslab.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/J16f.pdf},

doi = {10.1109/TMECH.2015.2483739},

year  = {2016},

date = {2016-02-01},

journal = {IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics},

volume = {21},

number = {1},

pages = {51-54},

abstract = {This article describes the design of a charge drive for reducing the hysteresis exhibited by a piezoelectric bimorph bender. Existing charge drive circuits cannot be directly applied to bimorph benders since they share a common electrode. In this article a new charge drive circuit and electrical configuration is implemented that allows commonly available piezoelectric bimorphs to be linearized. This circuit consists of four major components, including, a high voltage amplifier, a differential amplifier, a piezoelectric load and a PI feedback controller. An isolation amplifier was used to achieve a differential amplifier with a high common-mode rejection ratio. The charge drive was tested by driving a series poled, three layer bimorph bender. The results demonstrate that the use of a charge drive can reduce the hysteresis from 26.8% to 2.1%. This work has identified an alternative feedforward method to improve the AC hysteresis performance of a piezoelectric bender by using a charge drive.},

keywords = {Piezoelectric Transducers and Drives, Robotics},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{J15a,

title = {A New Electrical Configuration for Improving the Range of Piezoelectric Bimorph Benders},

author = {S. A. Rios and A. J. Fleming},

url = {https://www.precisionmechatronicslab.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/J15a3.pdf},

year  = {2015},

date = {2015-12-01},

journal = {Sensors and Actuators A: Physical},

volume = {224},

pages = {106-110},

abstract = {This article describes a new electrical configuration for driving piezoelectric benders. The ‘Biased Bipolar’ configuration is compatible with parallel-polled, bimorph and multimorph benders. The new configuration is similar to the standard three-wire drive method where the top electrode is biased with a DC voltage and the bottom electrode is grounded. However, the new configuration uses an alternate DC bias voltage and adjusted range for the central electrode which allows the full range of positive and negative electric fields to be utilized. Using this technique, the predicted deflection and force can be increased by a factor of 2.2 compared to the standard two wire configuration and 1.3 times for the standard three wire configuration. These predictions were verified experimentally where the measured factor of improvement in displacement and force was of 2.4 and 1.3 compared to the standard two-wire and three-wire configurations.},

keywords = {Piezoelectric Transducers and Drives},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{J14b,

title = {Piezoelectric Actuators with Integrated High Voltage Power Electronics},

author = {A. J. Fleming and Y. K. Yong},

url = {https://www.precisionmechatronicslab.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/J14b.pdf},

year  = {2015},

date = {2015-04-01},

journal = {IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics},

volume = {20},

number = {2},

pages = {611-617},

abstract = {This article explores the possibility of piezoelectric actuators with integrated high voltage power electronics. Such devices dramatically simplify the application of piezoelectric actuators since the power electronics are already optimized for the voltage range, capacitance, and power dissipation of the actuator. The foremost consideration is the thermal impedance of the actuator and heat dissipation. Analytical and finite-element methods are described for predicting the thermal impedance of a piezoelectric bender. The predictions are compared experimentally using thermal imaging on a piezoelectric bender with laminated miniature power electronics.},

keywords = {Piezoelectric Transducers and Drives},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{J13d,

title = {Charge drive with active DC stabilization for linearization of piezoelectric hysteresis},

author = {A. J. Fleming},

url = {https://www.precisionmechatronicslab.com/wp-content/publications/J13d.pdf},

year  = {2013},

date = {2013-12-01},

journal = {IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control},

volume = {60},

number = {8},

keywords = {Piezoelectric Transducers and Drives},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{J05d,

title = {A grounded load charge amplifier for reducing hysteresis in piezoelectric tube scanners},

author = {A. J. Fleming and S. O. R. Moheimani},

url = {https://www.precisionmechatronicslab.com/wp-content/publications/J05d.pdf},

year  = {2005},

date = {2005-12-01},

journal = {Review of Scientific Instruments},

volume = {76},

number = {7},

pages = {073707(1-5)},

keywords = {Piezoelectric Transducers and Drives, SPM},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{J04c,

title = {Improved current and charge amplifiers for driving piezoelectric loads, and issues in signal processing design for synthesis of shunt damping circuits},

author = {A. J. Fleming and S. O. R. Moheimani},

url = {https://www.precisionmechatronicslab.com/wp-content/publications/J04c.pdf},

year  = {2004},

date = {2004-01-01},

journal = {Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures},

volume = {15},

pages = {77--92},

keywords = {Piezoelectric Transducers and Drives},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{J03g,

title = {Precision current and charge amplifiers for driving highly capacitive piezoelectric loads},

author = {A. J. Fleming and S. O. R. Moheimani},

url = {https://www.precisionmechatronicslab.com/wp-content/publications/J03g.pdf},

year  = {2003},

date = {2003-01-01},

journal = {IEE Electronics Letters},

volume = {39},

number = {3},

pages = {282--284},

keywords = {Piezoelectric Transducers and Drives},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{J00a,

title = {Synthetic impedance for implementation of piezoelectric shunt damping circuits},

author = {A. J. Fleming and S. Behrens and S. O. R. Moheimani},

url = {https://www.precisionmechatronicslab.com/wp-content/publications/J00a.pdf},

year  = {2000},

date = {2000-01-01},

journal = {IEE Electronics Letters},

volume = {36},

number = {18},

pages = {1525--1526},

keywords = {Piezoelectric Transducers and Drives},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}