Experimental Investigation of Nanowire Motion in a Programmable Microelectrode Platform

Authors: Aleah Shron, Calvin Choi

Field of Study: Electrical Engineering

Program Affiliation: Automated Control Systems and Robotics Lab

Faculty Mentors: Kaiyan Yu

Easel: 1

Timeslot: Morning

Abstract: This research examines how silicon nanowires move when exposed to electric fields in a controlled micro-scale environment. The experiment uses a custom chip with six independently controlled electrodes that apply different voltage patterns to influence nanowire motion in a viscous oil medium. By activating different combinations of electrodes and observing the nanowires under a microscope, data is collected on how their position and orientation change in response to the electric fields. This dataset helps researchers analyze how closely the observed motion matches predicted behavior. The long-term goal is to develop a predictive model that can estimate nanowire movement based on electric field inputs. Such a model could enable precise manipulation of nanowires and support automated nanoscale assembly for applications in nanomanufacturing, microelectronics, and advanced material systems.