Toward autonomous nano-manipulation robots: Integrated SEM systems enable atomic-scale fabrication

The capability to observe and manipulate matter at the nanoscale has advanced significantly since Richard Feynman first envisioned atomically precise manufacturing. Nano-manipulation technologies now rest on three foundational pillars: observation (imaging and tracking), construction (assembly and fabrication), and manipulation (automation and control). Key platforms enabling these functions include scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), optical tweezers, and increasingly, scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

“The SEM offers a unique environment for implementing high-degree-of-freedom robotic systems with real-time visual feedback,” the authors note. “It enables the integration of high-resolution imaging with robotic control in a closed-loop configuration.”

In their review, the team—led by Prof. Zhan Yang (Soochow University), Prof. Chaoyang Shi (Tianjin University), and Prof. Lixin Dong (City University of Hong Kong) and Prof. Toshio Fukuda（Nagoya University）—systematically document progress in hardware, imaging, control algorithms, and automation strategies that are pushing the field from manual operation toward autonomy.

Significant innovations include a 21-degree-of-freedom nano-robot system operating inside an SEM, which achieves high-precision manipulation of diverse nano-objects such as carbon nanotubes and microchips. These developments are further supported by machine learning-enhanced vision algorithms for accurate 3D reconstruction and real-time tracking, cooperative control strategies for multi-robot manipulation within SEM chambers, and novel actuation and adhesion-control techniques that effectively mitigate interfacial forces and thermal noise.

Despite these achievements, several challenges remain. These include the "observer-builder paradox"—where measurement itself disrupts the system—stochastic environmental forces, and obstacles related to scaling up for industrial applications. The authors contend that future advances will require interdisciplinary integration of quantum metrology, neuromorphic computing, bio-hybrid systems, and embodied intelligence.

“We are transitioning from deterministic manipulation to adaptive, perception-driven atomic engineering,” says Professor Yang. “The ultimate goal is a fully autonomous system capable of seeing, deciding, and acting at the nanoscale.”

By 2030, with continued innovation and cross-platform synergy, Level-5 autonomous nano-robotic systems could become a reality, ushering in a new era of manufacturing and medical applications at the atomic scale.

About Soochow University：

Soochow University is a leading institution in China known for its strong programs in materials science, nanotechnology, and biomedical engineering. The university is committed to interdisciplinary research and international collaboration.

Website: https://www.suda.edu.cn/

About Professor Zhan Yang from Soochow University：

Zhan Yang received B.S.in department of automationin Harbin University of Science and Technology, M.S. and Dr. Eng. in departmentof micronano system of Nagoya University in 2010 and 2013. He is Professor inRobotics and Microsystem Center, SoochowUniversity, Suzhou, China His research interest innano manipulation, nano sensor and nano robotics. He has publishedmore than 100 papers on micronano manipulation and microrobots.