Characterising performance of TEM compatible nanomanipulation slip-stick inertial sliders against gravity

Slick-stick inertial sliders have been used in the manufacture of a novel miniaturised nanomanipulation and nanoindentation system. This has been designed to perform sub-micron localised in-situ deformation studies in a high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM). Coarse position is realised by three independent sliders which are set mutually perpendicular to one another (x, y and z) with a range > lmm and resolution <100nm In this paper we discuss the effect that gravity has on the performance of the nanomanipulation slip-stick inertial drives by monitoring displacement rate, resolution and the effect of the normal force across the slip-stick slider. We report on the successful actuation of slip-stick sliders operated in a vertical orientation.